Card-shaped electronic device used with an electronic apparatus and having shield plate with conductive portion on a lateral side

ABSTRACT

A card-shaped electronic device is used with an electronic apparatus. A rectangular flat box-like main-body of the card-shaped electronic device can be inserted into and taken out of the electronic apparatus in a given insertion direction. The main-body has a pair of lateral sides extending in the insertion direction. A pair of shield plates fixed to the main-body cover the upper and lower surfaces of the main-body. A conductive portion is arranged on the lateral side of the main-body and is electrically connected to the shield plates, for conducting the shield plates with the electronic apparatus when the main-body is loaded in the electronic apparatus.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/118,481, filed Sep. 8,1993 (issued on May 31, 1994, as U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,491) which is aFile Wrapper Continuation of application Ser. No. 07/900,974, filed Jun.18, 1992, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to electronic apparatuses, such as laptoppersonal computers, word processors, etc., card-type electroniccomponents used with the electronic apparatuses, for the delivery ofsignals, e.g., data transmission, therewith, and electronic systemshaving an expanding apparatus for expanding the functions of theelectronic apparatuses.

2. Description of the Related Art

Some of laptop personal computers can incorporate card-type electroniccomponents, such as memory cards, modem cards, etc., which are adaptedto be laterally inserted into the computer body, in order to expandtheir functions.

Generally, in the computers of this type, a card inlet slot is formed ina side face of the body, and a card storing section is formed in thebody so as to communicate with the inlet slot. A card can beincorporated into the computer body by being inserted into the cardstoring section through the inlet slot.

The card must be taken out of the computer body when its use is finishedor when it is to be replaced with another one. Cards are so thin,however, that they are not very easy to handle. Conventionally,therefore, computers use ejector mechanisms of the following threetypes.

Type 1: The size of the card storing section is adjusted so thatincorporating the card is finished when the card is inserted to abouthalf its length into the storing section. When the incorporation isfinished, therefore, the rear portion of the card projects long outsidethe computer body. Thus, a user can remove the card by taking it out ofthe card storing section with the exposed or projecting portion of thecard between his fingers.

Type 2: The card storing section formed in the computer body has a sizelarge enough to receive the whole card. The storing section is arrangedclose and parallel to a side face of the computer body which extends atright angles to the body side face in which the card inlet slot isformed. Formed on this side face is a knob which is slidable in theloading direction of the card. The knob is connected with a cardpush-out mechanism in the card storing section. When the push-outmechanism is actuated in association with the sliding motion of theknob, the card in the storing section is pushed out of the body throughthe card inlet slot.

Type 3: The card storing section formed in the computer body has a sizelarge enough to receive the whole card. Two recesses are formedindividually at the opposite side face portions of the body which areadjacent to the opposite end sides of the card inlet slot of the cardstoring section. These recesses can receive the user's finger tips whichare to hold and draw out an end portion of the card long from thestoring section. Thus, the user can take out the card from the cardstoring section to the outside of the computer body by inserting hisfinger tips into the recesses, holding that portion of the card at theend portions of the inlet slot between the finger tips, and then drawingout the card from the body.

According to the card ejector mechanism of the first type describedabove, part of the loaded card projects long from the computer body,constituting a hindrance to the transfer of the computer. A laptopcomputer, which is a portable computer, may be carried with the cardtherein. In doing this, however, the projecting card is liable tointerfere with some other parts, thus hindering the transfer of thecomputer.

In the card ejector mechanism of the second type, the card, which ishoused in the computer body, is not a hindrance to the conveyance of thecomputer. Since the card is pushed out of the computer body by slidingthe knob, however, the knob and the card storing section should belocated adjacent to each other. According to this arrangement,therefore, the space for the incorporation of the card is inevitablyrestricted to the regions on either side of the computer body.

In the card ejector mechanism of the third type, as in the case of thesecond-type ejector mechanism, the card is not a hindrance to theconveyance of the computer. Since the recesses formed on the oppositeend sides of the card inlet slot are large, however, the regionsadjacent to the slot are occupied by the recesses. In the case of alaptop personal computer in which a dead space in its body is utilizedfor the incorporation of the card, therefore, the computer body mustinevitably be increased in size.

With the progress of semiconductor technology, various card-typeelectronic components which are in conformity to the standards providedby, e.g., JEIDA (Japanese Electric Industry Development Association)have recently been developed and spread. The card-type electroniccomponents include various cards, such as modem cards, which handlehigh-frequency signals. These components must be fully shielded. Inconventional card-type electronic components, which are represented bymemory cards, for example, grounding terminals are arranged only in aninterface connector to be connected to the computer body. In this case,the ground contact area cannot be wide enough for satisfactorilyantijamming.

Accordingly, it has been proposed that one such card-type electroniccomponent should be designed so that flat shielding plates are arrangedindividually on the upper and lower surfaces of a card body, and areconnected electrically to grounding contact pieces on the computer bodyto be loaded with the electronic component. When the electroniccomponent is loaded into a card storing section of the computer body,the shielding plates are brought individually into direct contact withthe grounding contact pieces, which are arranged above and below in thecard storing section.

However, the above-described arrangement involves the followingproblems.

In the standardized card-type electronic components, the thickness ofthe card body is prescribed only with respect to its maximum value(e.g., 5.0 mm in the case of the standards Type II provided by JEIDA),so that it varies depending on the types of components, manufacturers,etc. In some of various kinds of cards, those portions which are to bein contact with the grounding contact pieces in the card holding sectionof the computer body are extremely different in thickness. Inalternatively loading these various cards into the same card storingsection, in particular, the following problems arise.

If a relatively thin card is used after prolonged use of a thicker cardof which the thickness of the portions to be in contact with thegrounding contact pieces in the card holding section is substantiallyequal to the prescribed maximum dimension, or if thick and thin cardsare repeatedly used by turns, the grounding contact pieces fail to enjoysatisfactory contact with the shielding plates of the card, thusbringing about a non-contact or unstable contact state, due to reductionof the spring pressure of the grounding contact pieces. In such a case,the shielding effect of the card is ruined completely, or noises areliable to be produced due to unstable contact.

In loading into or unloading the card-type component from the cardstoring section, in the arrangement described above, moreover, thegrounding contact pieces in the holding section slide individually onthe upper and lower shielding plates of the card. As the contact piecesslide in this manner, the shielding plates and/or the contact pieces areshaven away to produce metallic powder. This metallic powder maypossibly enter the computer body and cause the computer to operateimproperly. In general, moreover, the upper and lower shielding platesof the card-type component are each in the form of a design platebearing a coating, patterns, etc. for improved design properties, exceptfor those conduction portions thereof which are brought into contactwith the grounding contact pieces when the component is set in apredetermined position in the card storing section. When the card-typecomponent is loaded into or unloaded from the card storing section, asmentioned before, design portions of the shielding plates are alsobrought into sliding contact with the grounding contact piece, so thatremoval of the coating or the like is caused. Since neither coating norpatterns are put on the conduction portions, moreover, the designproperties of the card-type component may possibly be lowered.

Recently, there has been a demand for additional reduction in size ofthe computers of this type, for improved portability and handleability.To cope with this, each part of the housing of the computer is formedhaving a very thin wall. In this case, however, the strength of eachpart of the housing is so low that the housing wall may be deformed ordistorted when it is subjected to an external force. In such asituation, the housing wall may possibly interfere with components inthe housing, thereby damaging them. Display units of some computerscontain an elongated fluorescent lamp with a relatively small diameter.If the wall portion of these units is deformed or distorted, however,there is a fear of the lamp being damaged.

Usually, moreover, one such computer comprises a keyboard. Thedimensions of the keyboard constitute a primary factor essential to thereduction of the computer size. The keyboard comprises a rectangularprinted board and a number of keys arranged lengthwise and crosswise onthe printed board. Each key is in the form of a truncated pyramid. Morespecifically, each key has a rectangular top face, a rectangular bottomface wider than the top face, and four slanting side faces extendingindividually from the four side edges of the top face to theircorresponding side edges of the bottom face so as to spread outdownward. These keys are arranged at predetermined intervals, andconstitute a key array having a rectangular outline as a whole.

The size (lengthwise and crosswise dimensions) of the key array, whichdetermines the size of the keyboard, depends on the number of keys, thesize of the key top face, and the intervals between the keys. If theease of operation of the keyboard is taken into consideration, however,the minimum values of these dimensions are determined as a necessity, sothat it is difficult to reduce the number of keys, top face size, andkey intervals. Therefore, the keyboard dimensions cannot be made smallerthan fixed values. Partly because of this, the size of the wholecomputer can be reduced only limitedly.

The personal computer of this type comprises a body, including upper andlower cases, and a display unit swingably mounted on the upper case.Usually, a driver circuit, control circuit, memory unit, etc. of thecomputer are arranged in the lower case of the body. In assembling thesecomponents, the upper case, fitted with the display unit, is joined tothe lower case which is mounted with the driver circuit and otherelements. In doing this, a signal cable led out of the display unit isconnected to a connector of the control circuit mounted in the lowercase.

In order to facilitate the connection of the signal cable of the displayunit to the lower case, in joining the upper and lower cases together inthis manner, the signal cable should be formed having some extra length.However, such an extra length portion of the cable is a hindrance to theinternal arrangement of the computer body, and leading it about is atroublesome task. Therefore, an extra space for this extra lengthportion must be secured in the body. This entails difficult assemblingoperation and constitutes a hindrance to the miniaturization of thecomputer.

Electronic parts arranged in the computer body include high-performanceintegrated circuits, such as a CPU, VGA (variable gain amplifier)driver, etc., which act as superheating elements. In some cases,therefore, those wall portions of the body which are situated adjacentto these superheating electronic parts may be heated to a temperature ofabout 50° C. In general, the human body feels hot when exposed to atemperature of 40° C. or more. Accordingly, the personal computer isdesigned so that the superheating parts are arranged adjacent to thebottom wall of its body which normally is not accessible to the user'shands. In the case of a portable computer, however, the user shouldtouch its bottom wall as he carries it about, and may harbor suspicion,feeling hot.

Heat from the superheating electronic parts may be screened by arranginga shielding plate between the parts and the body wall portions. In thiscase, however, the whole computer is inevitably large-sized, and itsportability is low.

In general, the computer of this type enjoys a compact design whichensures higher portability and a minimized desk setting area. Therefore,the functions of the computer itself are limited. If additionalfunctions other than standard functions are required, the computer isconnected to an function expanding apparatus before use. Conventionally,the computer and the expanding apparatus are connected to each other bymeans of connectors for transferring data. However, the connection onlyby means of the connectors cannot provide a satisfactory fixingstrength. The connectors may be easily disengaged due to an impact orthe like produced during the operation of the computer, thus resultingin contact failure or some other trouble.

Recently, there have been provided an expanding apparatus having amounting section on which the whole body of a computer can be mounted.Expanding apparatuses disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,769,764 and4,903,222, for example, comprise a housing which contains expansionmeans, including a hard disk drive, circuit board for storage, etc. Thehousing is formed having a mounting recess which corresponds to thecomputer in size. The computer is releasably fitted into the mountingrecess from above or from the front. A plug-in connector for theconnection to the expanding apparatus is disposed on the rear face ofthe computer. When the computer is set in the mounting recess, thisconnector is fitted into another plug-in connector attached to themounting recess of the apparatus. Thus, the computer and the expandingapparatus are connected electrically to each other.

The mating force of the connectors is great enough to secure theconnection between the computer and the expanding apparatus. Removingthe computer from the mounting recess requires a greater force than thismating force. Accordingly, the computer cannot be easily detached fromthe mounting recess by hand, so that handling the system costs muchlabor.

The mounting recess is open to the front of the housing of the expandingapparatus, as well as to the top side. In detaching the computer,therefore, its front end portion may possibly be unexpectedly raisedeven though the connectors are not disengaged. In such a case, thecomputer is urged to rock upward around the junction between theconnectors, so that the connectors are wrenched. As a result, anunreasonable force is applied to the connectors, thereby breaking themdown.

Such breakdown of the connectors may be prevented by designing theconnector on the mounting recess side for vertical oscillation.

According to this arrangement, however, a space for the oscillation ofthis oscillating connector must be secured around it, and high-frequencynoises, which are produced by the expanding apparatus, leak out throughthis space, thereby possibly inducing communication jamming.

Further, lead wires connecting the oscillating connector and a printedboard in the housing should be lengthened by a margin for the rockingmotion of this connector. Accordingly, the wiring operation istroublesome, and the wire arrangement in the housing is complicated.

If the computer is displaced by an external force, with the connectorsconnected to each other, the connectors may possibly be damaged.Conventionally, therefore, the connector on the expanding apparatus sideis arranged so as to be shiftable in the vertical and crosswisedirections, that is, in the directions perpendicular to the direction ofengagement between the connectors. By this arrangement, the displacementof the computer can be absorbed, so that the connectors can be preventedfrom being damaged. In the conventional expanding apparatus, however,the connector is immovable in the longitudinal direction or in theconnector engaging direction, although it is shiftable in the verticaland crosswise directions. If the computer is subjected to a longitudinalexternal force while it is connected to the expanding apparatus,therefore, the connectors may possibly be disengaged from each other. Insuch a case, the computer behaves wrongly, so that in-process data maybe destroyed, or the computer system may be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of these circumstances, it is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide an electronic apparatus wherein a card-shapedelectronic device can be stored without projecting outward and easilyremoved from a body of the apparatus, and wherein a card storing sectioncan be formed any position in the body without enlarging the size of thebody.

In order to achieve above object, the apparatus according to the presentinvention comprises: a box-shaped body; a card-shaped electronic deviceto be loaded in the body; an operating opening portion formed by cuttingan edge of the body to a given size and externally accessible by afinger; a card storing section formed in the body and having an inletopening open to the operating opening portion, for storing thecard-shaped electronic device inserted through the inlet opening; and anejection mechanism for ejecting the card-shaped electronic device fromthe card storing section; said ejection mechanism including:

a card receiver arranged within the card storing section, for receivingthe card-shaped electronic device inserted through the inlet opening,the card receiver having a pressing portion for abutting against a frontend of the card-shaped electronic device received by the receiver andbeing movable in an insertion direction of the card-shaped electronicdevice between a first position wherein the card-shaped electronicdevice received by the receiver is stored in the card storing sectionand a second position wherein a rear end portion of the card-shapedelectronic device received by the receiver projects outward from theinlet opening and the operating opening portion; a drawer memberattached to the receiver and movable in the insertion direction betweena pushed-in position and a drawn-out position, the drawer member havingan operating end portion allowing a finger to be hooked, the operatingend portion being located within the operating opening portion when thedrawer member is moved to its pushed-in position while the card receiveris in its first position and outwardly projecting through the operatingopening portion when the drawer member is moved to its drawn-outposition while the card receiver is in its first position; andconnecting means for engaging the card receiver and the drawer memberwhen the drawer member is moved to the drawn-out position so as to movethe card receiver from the first position to the second position inaccordance with the movement of the drawer member from the drawn-outposition toward the inlet opening.

With the electronic apparatus having a configuration as described above,a card shaped electronic device can be set in position in the apparatusby simply holding the device with fingers, moving it into the cardstoring section through the inlet port thereof and pushing the rear endof the device until the entire device is received by the card storingsection, when the rear end of the drawer member is found within theoperating opening portion. Under this condition, the card-shapedelectronic device is set in position in the body and ready for use.

For replacement of the card-shaped electronic device or otherwise whenit is no longer in use, it can be moved out of the card storing sectionby putting a finger in the opening portion, applying it as a hook to thehandle located in the opening portion and pulling the handle out of thebody.

Under this condition, the drawer member is also pulled out of the bodyto its pulled-out position and moved away from the card storing sectionso that an extreme portion of the drawer member, which is now outsidethe body for exposure, can be held by fingers.

Then, the drawer member can be moved out of the body by holding itsexposed extreme portion with fingers and pulling it away from the body.Now, the card receiver is moved to the opening portion along with thedrawer member. Since the pressing members of the card receiver abut thefront end of the card-shaped electronic device under this condition, therear end of the latter is pushed out through the inlet port to theopening portion as the card receiver is pulled out. When the card-shapedelectronic device is moved out to a given position where it can be heldby fingers, the movement of the card receiver is suppressed so that thecard-shaped electronic device may be taken out of the card storingsection.

It may be needless to say that, under this condition, the card-shapedelectronic device can be taken out of the card storing section by simplyholding its rear end and pulling it with fingers. In other words, therear end of the drawer member that has not been not visible from outsidecan be pulled out by a first pulling operation and then the rear end ofthe card shaped electronic device housed in the card storing section canbe pulled out of the body by a second pulling operation. When acard-shaped electronic device is mounted in position in the main-body,it is completely housed in the card containing section along with thecard receiver so that the rear end of the drawer member is locatedwithin the opening portion and, therefore, the card-shaped electronicdevice is not exposed nor visible from outside. Namely, a portableelectronic apparatus according to the invention can be carried by a userwith a card-shaped electronic device housed in it without any risk ofbeing damaged. Additionally, since the ejector mechanism is notfunctionally related with the external control keys and knobs arrangedon the portable electronic apparatus and does not require any locationalselection for operation, the portable electronic apparatus is lessrestricted for operation in terms of placement. Finally, the fact thatno space is required along the lateral sides of the access aperture toprovide easy access to the inside of the card containing section allowsthe body of the electronic apparatus to be made very compact.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a card-shapedelectronic device used with an electronic apparatus according to theinvention, which can be securely shielded and protected against anyadhesion of harmful metal particles and damages that may be broughtforth on the surface of the device when it is moved into or away fromthe electronic apparatus.

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved byproviding a card shaped electronic device comprising: a rectangular flatbox-like main-body to be inserted into and taken out of the portableelectronic apparatus in a given insertion direction, the main-bodyhaving a pair of lateral sides extending in the insertion direction; apair of shield plates fixed to the main-body to cover the upper andlower surfaces of the main-body; and a conductive portion arranged onthe lateral side of the main-body and electrically connected to theshield plates, for conducting the shield plates with the electronicapparatus when the main-body is loaded in the electronic apparatus.

In a card-shaped electronic device having a configuration as describedabove, since the conductive section of the device for electricallyconnecting the shield plates to an electronic apparatus is arrangedalong the lateral sides of the body, the shield plates are not touchednor abraded by the related contact terminals of the apparatus in whichthe card-shaped device is mounted. Therefore, generation of fine metalparticles due to abrasion of the shield plates is nonexistent. If theshield plates are decorated, the decoration may not be damaged norremoved because no abrasion takes place there. Even if a card-shapedelectronic device is used with card main-bodies having differentheights, the conductive section ensures a secure electric connectionbetween the device and the related contact terminals of the portableelectronic equipment in which the device is mounted and a reliableshield effect is provided by the shield plates.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anelectronic apparatus of the above described type which is light weightand has reduced dimensions while maintaining a required level ofsturdiness.

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved byproviding an electronic apparatus comprising: a flat box-like body; anda display rotatably mounted on the body. The display includes a displaymain-body having a substantially rectangular bottom case, and a coverattached to the bottom case with a given space therebetween and havingan opening; a flat plate-like liquid crystal display section arrangedwithin the display main-body and opposite to the opening; and anelongated fluorescent lamp for illuminating the liquid crystal displaysection, the fluorescent lamp being arranged within the displaymain-body and extending along a lateral edge of the display section. Thedisplay main-body includes a rib projecting from the inner surface ofthe bottom case toward the cover and extending along the fluorescentlamp to protect the fluorescent lamp, the rib having a height ofprojection greater than a diameter of the fluorescent lamp.

With an arrangement as described above, the fluorescent lamp isprotected against any possible damages by said rib even if the bottomcase and/or the cover of the display main-body is deformed by externalforce so that the bottom case and the cover may be made considerablythin to make the overall dimensions and weight of the portableelectronic equipment rather small.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anelectronic apparatus having a keyboard with considerably reduceddimensions to make the equipment itself rather small.

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved byproviding an electronic apparatus comprising a flat box-like body; and akeyboard arranged on the body. The keyboard has a number of keysarranged with predetermined intervals to constitute a key array having asubstantially rectangular outline as a whole, each of the keys, exceptthose ones which constitute the outermost lines of the key array, havinga rectangular top face and four slanting faces which extend obliquelyfrom the respective sides of the top face with a predetermined angle tothe top face so as to spread downward, and each of the keys, whichconstitute the outermost lines, having a rectangular top face and fourslanting faces obliquely extending downward from the respective sides ofthe top face with the predetermined angle to the top face except for theslanting surface on the outline of the key array, the tilt angle of theslanting face on the outline of the key array being greater than thepredetermined angle.

With such an arrangement, the key arrangement area can be reduced for acertain number of keys without reducing the area of the top surfaces ofthe keys and the space separating any adjacent keys, or, in other words,without adversely affecting the operability of the key board.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anelectronic apparatus with a sufficiently short signal cable extendingfrom a display unit so that the electronic apparatus may be set up foruse with utmost ease and have a minimum requirement for space in thebody of the apparatus.

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved byproviding an electronic apparatus comprising: a body provided with upperand lower cases, and a display rotatably mounted on the upper case. Allthe electronic components such as drive circuits, control circuits andmemory devices housed in the body are fixed to the upper case.

With such an arrangement, since the display and the electroniccomponents are fitted to the upper case, the signal cable of the displayunit can be connected to a corresponding control circuit to set up theequipment for use with the lower case removed from it so that the lengthof the signal cable may be minimized.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anelectronic apparatus which is free from uncomfortable high temperaturethat can be generated by heat-radiating electronic parts of theequipment so that it may not damage the feeling of comfort andreliability on the side of the user.

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved byproviding an electronic apparatus provided with a number of projectionsarranged on the outer wall surface of the body located adjacent to thoseheat-radiating electronic parts, said projections being densely disposedto prevent the user from directly touching said outer wall surface.

With such an arrangement of projections, the user can touch only the topareas of the projections and is prevented from directly touching theheated outer wall surface even if said outer wall surface is heated tohigh temperature. Thus, the area of the hands of the user with which heor she touches the heated wall surface of the electronic apparatus isminimized and the feeling of comfort and reliability on the side of theuser is ensured particularly in terms of temperature. Besides, since nopartitions are required for thermal insulation within the body, theapparatus for compactness of the body can be easily met.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anelectronic system comprising an electronic apparatus and capable ofsecurely connecting the electronic apparatus with an expanding apparatusand easily releasing the connectors used to establish such a connection.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved by providing anelectronic system comprising: an electronic apparatus including abox-like body which has a rear surface provided with a first connectorand a pair of lateral side faces having engaging portions, respectively;and an expanding apparatus for expanding the functions of the electronicapparatus. The expanding apparatus comprises: a body case having abearing surface on which the electronic apparatus is placed and aconnector setting surface opposing the rear surface of the electronicapparatus placed on the bearing surface; a second connector provided onthe connector setting surface, for being removably connected to thefirst connector as the body of the electronic apparatus is slidinglymoved to a predetermined connecting position on the bearing surface;expanding means disposed within the body case and connected to thesecond connector, for expanding the functions of the electronicapparatus; an ejection mechanism for pushing the rear surface of thebody so as to disconnect the first connector from the second connector,the mechanism including a push lever which is arranged in the body caseadjacent to the second connector and is movable between a pushingposition where the lever projects outward from the connector settingsurface and a retrieved position where the lever is retreated within thebody case; a lock mechanism for locking the body of the electronicapparatus in the connecting position, the lock mechanism comprising apair of fixing members disposed near respective lateral ends of a frontend portion of the body case, each of the fixing members being movablebetween a locking position where the fixing member engages with thecorresponding engaging portion of the body and a release position wherethe fixing member is disengaged from the engaging portion; and aninterlocking mechanism for interlocking the operations of the ejectionmechanism and the locking mechanism so that the fixing members are movedto the locking position as the push lever is moved to the retreatedposition and the fixing members are moved to the release position as thepush lever is moved to the pushing position.

With a system having a configuration as described above, the electronicapparatus body can be mounted on the expanding apparatus by placing saidelectronic apparatus body on the mount plane of the function expandingapparatus and slidingly moving said electronic apparatus body rearwardlytoward the second connector. As the electronic apparatus body gets to apredetermined connecting position on the mount plane, the first andsecond connectors come into mutual engagement to electrically connectthe electronic apparatus body and the function expanding apparatus.

Once the electronic apparatus body has reached to its connectionposition, the anchor claws are forced to project toward the body andmade to engage with the respective sections near the lateral ends of thefront side of the body by operating the interlocking mechanism. Underthis condition, the body is held to its predetermined proper position onthe mount plane by the mutual engagement of the anchor claws and thecorresponding respective sections of the front side of the body and thatof the first and second connectors at the rear side of the body.

The electronic apparatus body can be removed from the function expandingapparatus by operating the interlocking mechanism to release the anchorclaws from the body. The releasing movement of the anchor claws istransmitted to the pusher lever by means of the interlocking mechanismso that the pusher lever is caused to project toward the electronicapparatus body and push the body from the rear side. Thus, the body ismoved forward on the mount plane until the first and second connectorsare disengaged from each other without requiring any manual operation tophysically separate the connectors, making the function-expandingapparatus extremely easy to operate for removing the electronicapparatus body from it. Moreover, since the front end of the body is notlifted for removing it away from the function-expanding apparatus, theconnectors are free from any undesirable stress and protected againstunintended damage.

With the above described arrangement, the second connector on thefunction-expanding apparatus does not need to be made verticallyswingable for ease of connection with the first connector, meaning thatno extra space is required around it to allow swinging motion of thesecond connector and that high frequency noises generated by thefunction-expanding apparatus can be effectively prevented from leakingoutside.

In a preferred embodiment of the electronic system, a pair of pusherlever are provided on the respective lateral sides of the secondconnector. With such an arrangement, since the pusher levers pushes therear side of the electronic apparatus body at two locations, the bodycan be always pushed out squarely without taking any inclined or biasedposture even when the first connector is arranged off the center of therear side of the body to ensure safe engagement and disengagement of theconnectors and protect the connectors against any undesirable stress sothat the electronic apparatus body can be smoothly fitted to and removedfrom the function-expanding apparatus at any time.

In this preferred embodiment of the electronic system, thefunction-expanding apparatus is provided with a metal terminal forgrounding that is interlocked with the interlocking mechanism to comeout from or go back under the mount plane. With such an arrangement, themetal terminal for grounding retreats under the mount plane when theelectronic apparatus body is placed and slidingly moved on the mountplane so that it may not be hit nor scraped by the bottom of the bodyand, therefore, both the metal terminal and the bottom of the body areprotected against deformation and damage while the electronic equipmentis grounded by way of the electronic equipment.

An function-expanding apparatus of an electronic system according to theinvention alternatively comprises a body case having a bearing surfacefor bearing the electronic apparatus; a second connector provided on thebody case to face the rear surface of the body of the electronicapparatus placed on the bearing surface and adapted to be releasablyconnected with the first connector when the body is moved to apredetermined connecting position on the bearing surface; expandingmeans arranged within the body case and connected to the secondconnector, for expanding the functions of the electronic apparatus; anfixing member arranged on the body case and movable between a projectedposition wherein the fixing member engages the engaging portion of thebody of the electronic apparatus located at the connecting position soas to restrict the movement of the body and a retreated position whereinthe fixing member is disengaged from the engaging portion of the body;urging means for urging the fixing member to the projected position; anda lock mechanism for locking the fixing member at the projectedposition.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide afunction expanding apparatus used for an electronic apparatus accordingto the invention that can effectively protect the connectors of theapparatus and the electronic apparatus even when the electronicapparatus is subjected to external force while it is mounted on thefunction-expanding apparatus and prevent the connectors from beingunintendedly disengaged from each other.

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved byproviding a function-expanding apparatus comprising a main body having abearing section for bearing the electronic apparatus and expanding meansfor expanding the functions of the electronic apparatus; a plug-in typeconnector provided on the body case and electrically connected to theexpanding means, for removably receiving a matching plug-in typeconnector of the electronic apparatus loaded on the bearing section; anda support assembly for supporting the connector of the expandingapparatus to allow the connector of the expanding apparatus to move in adirection for engaging and disengaging from the connector of theelectronic apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment of the function expanding apparatus, thesupport means comprises a connector holder to which the connector of thebody is securely held, a support member for movably supporting saidconnector holder to make said connector holder move in said direction ofengagement and disengagement between a stand-by position and a pushed-inposition and urging means for urging the connector holder securely heldby said body toward said stand-by position.

In this preferred embodiment, the support member is provided with aplurality of guide holes and a plurality of guide sleeves extending fromsaid main body in said direction of engagement and disengagement andrunning through the respective guide holes. Each of said guide sleeveshas a base section rigidly fitted to said main-body and a tip portionextending from said main body and is provided with a stopper forabutting the connector holder in its stand-by position to limit themovement of the latter. With a function-expanding apparatus having aconfiguration as described above, when the electronic equipment issubjected to external force particularly in the direction along whichthe connector of the electronic apparatus is released from that of thebody while the electronic apparatus is mounted on the bearing section ofthe apparatus and the two connectors are mutually engaged with eachother, the connector of the body is displaced with its counterpart ofthe electronic apparatus in said direction of release. Consequently.even when the electronic apparatus is subjected to external force asdescribed above, the connector of the electronic equipment would notunintendedly come out of its counterpart of the function expandingapparatus so that the systems in the electronic apparatus are protectedagainst damage and the data being processed in the equipment would notbe destroyed.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments ofthe invention, and together with the general description given above andthe detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIGS. 1 through 34 show a first embodiment of a personal computeraccording to the present invention as well as a card-shaped electronicdevice and an expanding apparatus for expanding functions of thecomputer, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the personal computer and the cardshaped electronic device shown separately;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment whose displaycover is taken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of an arrangement around afluorescent lamp used as a back light for the display of the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of arrangement around thefluorescent lamp of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the arrangement around the fluorescentlamp of FIG. 3 taken along line V--V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a latch mechanism used forlocking and unlocking the display;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the latch mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the latch mechanism of FIG. 6 taken alongline VIII--VIII in FIG. 9;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the latch mechanism of FIG. 6 taken alongline C--C;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the computer of FIG. 1 showing itsbottom side;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the computer of FIG. 1 whoselower case is removed;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the computer of FIG. 1 whosecomponents fitted to its upper case are moved away to show only thecomponents disposed between an insulation sheet and the lower case;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the computer of FIG. 1showing the components disposed between the upper case and theinsulation sheet;

FIG. 14A is a sectional view viewed along arrow D in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14B is a partially broken front view of the computer;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a memory card;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the memory card;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged and exploded perspective view of a conductivesection of the memory card;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an interface card;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a card ejector mechanism;

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the card ejector mechanism;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the card ejector mechanism with a cardinserted therein;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the card ejector mechanism whose drawermember is pulled out;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the card ejection mechanism under acondition where the rear end of a card is pulled out of the main body ofthe computer as the card mount of a card receiver is moved from itsproper position;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the expanding apparatus for expansiontogether with the personal computer;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged sectional view of a fixing claw of the expandingapparatus;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a slide lever and a key cylinder of alock mechanism of the expanding apparatus;

FIG. 27 is a plan view of the lock mechanism with the upper case partlybroken;

FIG. 28 is a schematic perspective view of the slide lever and the keycylinder of the lock mechanism showing the positional relationshipbetween them when the key cylinder is released;

FIG. 29 is a schematic perspective view similar to FIG. 28 but showingthe positional relationship between the slide lever and the key cylinderwhen the key cylinder is locked;

FIG. 30 is a rear view of the personal computer;

FIG. 31 is a schematic partial plan view showing a state herein a leg ofthe computer is about to abut the fixing claw;

FIG. 32 is a schematic partial plan view similar to FIG. 31 but showinga condition where the leg abuts the fixing claw;

FIG. 33 is a schematic partial plan view similar to FIG. 31 but showinga condition where the leg is locked by the fixing claw; and

FIG. 34 is a schematic partial front view showing a condition where theleg is locked by the fixing claw;

FIGS. 35 through 58 show an expanding apparatus according to a secondembodiment of the invention and a personal computer used with theexpanding apparatus, in which:

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of the expanding apparatus and thepersonal computer;

FIG. 36 is a rear view of the personal computer;

FIG. 37 is a view schematically showing guide faces of the personalcomputer;

FIG. 38 is a view schematically showing the structure of guide rails ofthe expanding apparatus;

FIG. 39 is a front view of the second connector of the expandingapparatus;

FIG. 40 is a sectional view of the expanding apparatus, showing pusherlevers, rock arms and interlocking mechanism;

FIG. 41 is a sectional view taken along line A--A of FIG. 40;

FIG. 42 is a sectional view showing the positional relationship betweenone of the pusher lever and the corresponding rock arm when an operationplate is moved to its engaged position;

FIG. 43 is a sectional view showing the positional relationship betweenthe other pusher lever and the corresponding rock arm when the operationplate is slidingly moved to its engaged position;

FIG. 44 is a sectional view showing the positional relationship betweenone of the pusher lever and the corresponding rock arm when theoperation plate is slidingly moved to its released position;

FIG. 45 is a sectional view showing the positional relationship betweenthe other pusher lever and the corresponding rock arm when the operationplate is slidingly moved to its released position;

FIG. 46 is a sectional view taken along line B--B of FIG. 43;

FIG. 47 is a sectional view taken along line C--C of FIG. 49;

FIG. 48 is a sectional view taken along line D--D of FIG. 43;

FIG. 49 is a lateral view of the expanding apparatus as viewed alongline E of FIG. 40;

FIG. 50 is a sectional view taken along line F--F of FIG. 42;

FIG. 51 is a sectional view taken along line G--G of FIG. 43;

FIG. 52 is a plan view of a grounding terminal unit;

FIG. 53 is a plan view of a terminal metal fitting having a springsection;

FIG. 54 is a sectional view showing a state wherein the groundingterminal unit is fitted to the bearing plane;

FIG. 55 is a sectional view showing that the terminal metal fitting ofthe grounding terminal unit is retracted to the terminal hole;

FIG. 56 is a sectional view showing that the terminal metal fitting ofthe grounding terminal unit is projecting out of the terminal hole;

FIG. 57 is a sectional view showing that the terminal metal fitting ofthe grounding terminal unit is retracted to the terminal hole as viewedfrom an angle different from that of FIG. 55; and

FIG. 58 is a sectional view showing that the terminal metal fitting isprojecting out of the terminal hole as viewed from an angle differentfrom that of FIG. 56;

FIGS. 59 through 63 show an alternative support assembly for supportingthe connector of the expanding apparatus according to the invention, inwhich:

FIG. 59 is a perspective view showing a rear side of a personal computerand the support assembly;

FIG. 60 is an exploded perspective view of the support assembly;

FIG. 61 is a front view of the support assembly;

FIG. 62 is a sectional view taken along line H--H of FIG. 61; and

FIG. 63 is a sectional view of the support assembly and the personalcomputer connected to each other by means of the connectors;

FIG. 64 is a bottom view of a personal computer provided withprojections according to a first modification of the invention;

FIG. 65 is a bottom view of a personal computer provided withprojections according to a second modification according of theinvention;

FIG. 66 is a bottom view of a personal computer provided withprojections according to a third modification of the invention;

FIG. 67 is an enlarged perspective view of an area of the bottom of apersonal computer indicated by circle H in FIG. 66;

FIG. 68 is a side view of a personal computer provided on a rear portionof the bottom with projections according to the third modification;

FIG. 69 is a perspective view of an interface card according to firstmodification of the invention;

FIG. 70 is a perspective view of an interface card according to a secondmodification of the invention; and

FIG. 71 is a perspective view of an interface card according to theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 23 show an embodiment in which a portable electronicapparatus according to the present invention is applied to a laptoppersonal computer by way of example. As shown in FIG. 1, the computercomprises a body 1 in the form of a flat box and a flat display 2. Thebody 1 is a combination of upper and lower plastic cases 1a and 1b whichare plated inside (not shown) for shielding. The display 2 is swingablymounted on a stepped portion 1c, which is formed at the rear portion ofthe top face of the body 1, by means of a pair of legs 3. A keyboard 60is arranged on the front portion of the top face of the body 1.

The construction of the display 2 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9. Thedisplay 2 has a very thin, rectangular body 10, which includes a plasticbottom case 11 in the form of a flat box and a plastic cover 12 in theform of a rectangular frame and fixed to an opening portion of thebottom case. Both the bottom case 11 and the cover 12 are plated inside(not shown) for shielding. An opening portion 12b of the cover 12 isbiased a little to the right. A peripheral edge portion of the cover 12,which extends continuously from the middle of each side edge portion tothe upper edge portion of the cover, projects forward, and constitutes aU-shaped stepped portion 12a.

Two-piece divided casing halves 13a and 13b, which constitute each leg3, protrude from each side of the respective lower portions of thebottom case 11 and the cover 12. Hinge members (not shown), which arecontained individually in the legs 3, are connected to supportingportions 14 (shown in FIG. 13 only), which are arranged inside thestepped portion 1c of the body 1, thereby supporting the display 2 forswinging motion. In FIG. 13, numeral 15 denotes a connecting piece ofeach hinge member.

A display device 16 with a back-light is contained in the body 10 of thedisplay 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the display device 16 includes a displayunit 19, a pair of drive units 20, a pair of sockets 23, and afluorescent lamp 24. The display unit 19 has a liquid crystal displaysection 17, e.g., in the form of a plate, and a plate-shaped light guidemember 18 (shown in FIG. 5 only) put on the rear face of the displaysection 17. The drive units 20, which are each composed of a circuitsubstrate 22 mounted with driver circuits 21, are arranged individuallyin the opposite sides of the display unit 19 with respect to the widthdirection thereof. The sockets 23 are connected individually to theupper and lower end portions of the right-hand drive unit 20. Thefluorescent lamp 24, which is connected between the sockets 23, emitsillumination light to the light guide member 18. All these componentsconstitute a panel-shaped main unit 29. A drive unit 25 for thefluorescent lamp 24 is connected to the sockets 23 of the lamp 24 bymeans of lead wires 26, individually, and is arranged parallel to theright-hand drive unit 20. A pair of connecting frames 27, having aU-shaped cross section, are fitted individually on the respective upperand lower end portions of the display unit 19 and the paired drive units20, which are arranged side by side in a line, thereby connecting allthese units but the drive unit 25. Numeral 28 denotes dial knobs on thedrive unit 25, which are used to adjust the light quantity and displaydensity, for example. As shown in FIG. 5, the fluorescent lamp 24 andthe light guide member 18 are connected to each other by means of ashielding film 32 which covers them. Thus, the light from the lamp 24can be guided to the incidence end of the member 18 without leakage.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the main unit 29 is mounted on the bottomcase 11 so that the display screen of the liquid crystal display section17 faces the opening portion 12b of the cover 12. More specifically, theunit 29 is mounted on the bottom surface of the bottom case 11 in amanner such that its upper and lower edge portions are fittedindividually in a pair of elongated fixing members 30 with an L-shapedcross section, which are screwed to the case 11. In this case, thedisplay unit 19 need not be provided with tapped holes for the fixationto the bottom case 11, and the liquid crystal display section 17 canenjoy a wide display region. Spacers 31 (see FIG. 5) are previouslyattached to various parts of the rear face of the display unit 19 sothat a gap is defined between the rear face of the unit 19 and thebottom surface of the bottom case 11 when the main unit 29 is set on thecase 11.

The drive unit 25 for the fluorescent lamp 24 is mounted on that portionof the bottom surface of the bottom case 11 which is situated betweenthe lamp 24 and a peripheral wall 11a on the right-hand side of the case11. The dial knobs 28 are exposed to the outside through a notch 33which is formed in the wall 11a. In FIG. 2, numeral 35 denotes fixingscrews for fixing the various parts. In FIG. 5, numeral 36 denotesinsulating sheets arranged on the inner surfaces of the bottom case 11and the cover 12.

A protection rib 34 is provided between the fluorescent lamp 24 and thedrive unit 25. More specifically, the rib 34 is formed integrally withthe bottom case 11, and protrudes from the bottom surface of the case11, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The rib 34 extends along the lamp 24 inthe axial direction thereof so as to cover the overall length of thelamp. The height of projection of the rib 34 is adjusted to a dimensionsuch that the rib projects beyond the respective top positions of thefluorescent lamp 24 (including the shielding film 32), set on the bottomcase 11, and the drive unit 25, as shown in FIG. 5. Specifically, theheight of the rib 34 is larger than the diameter of the fluorescent lamp24. In this embodiment, the rib 34 is formed so that its projecting endabuts against the inner surface of the cover 12.

The rib 34 serves to protect the fluorescent lamp 24 against an externalforce, if any, which pushes the face of the cover 12, thereby deformingthe cover, or acts in the direction to twist the body 10 of the display2, for example. The respective walls of the bottom case 11 of thedisplay 2 and the cover 12 are made very thin, e.g., as thin as about1.5 mm, for reduced size and weight, so that they are easily deformable.If the cover 12, for example, can be bent by a press or twist,therefore, it may possibly interfere with the fluorescent lamp 24,thereby damaging it. Since the rib 34 is set up beside the lamp 24,however, the flexible cover 12 abuts against the distal end portion ofthe rib 34 before it engages the lamp 24. Thus, the lamp 24 can beprotected against contact with the flexible cover 12. Naturally, the rib12 serves to improve the rigidity of the thin, easily deformable bottomcase 11, as well as to protect the lamp 24. Thus, even though the body10 is thin-walled, necessary rigidity can be secured for the individualparts.

A pair of latch devices 40 are arranged individually on the right- andleft-hand end sides of the body 10. They are used to lock the display 2in the position where it covers the keyboard 60, or to unlock thedisplay 2 so that the display can be opened. Conventionally, a latchdevice inevitably requires use of two hook means for connecting twoparts in- and outside the body. According to this embodiment, however,each latch device 40 is designed having only one hook means for firm orunreleasable connection, in order to make the body 10 thinner. FIGS. 6to 9 illustrate the construction of the left-hand latch device 40.

This latch device 40 comprises a slide knob 41 which is attached to theperipheral wall 11a of the bottom case 11 of the display 2 so as to beslidable in the direction parallel to the bottom surface of the case 11.The knob 41 is composed of a rectangular operating plate 42 and a fixinghook 43 protruding from the rear face thereof. The hook 43 includes abelt-shaped portion 44 extending parallel to the bottom surface of thebottom case 11 from the rear face of the plate 42. At claw 45 is formedon the distal end portion of the hook 43. The claw 45 has a catchsurface 45a which extends in the operating direction (indicated by arrowX in FIG. 6) of the operating plate 42 and faces the peripheral wall11a.

The claw 45 and the belt-shaped portion 44 penetrate a guide hole 46,which is formed in the peripheral wall 11a on the left-hand side of thebottom case 11 so as to extend parallel to the bottom surface of thecase 11, and project into the case 11. The length of the hole 46 isgreater than the width of the belt-shaped portion 44.

Further, the latch device 40 comprises a slider 47 located in the bottomcase 11. The slider 47 is in the form of, for example, a tube having arectangular section. As shown in FIG. 7, the slider 47 is arranged sothat one end opening of its bore faces the guide hole 46, and that thelengthwise direction of the one end opening is substantially parallel tothe bottom surface of the bottom case 11.

A downward latch claw 48 protrudes from the front face of the slider 47which is directed to the cover 12. Longer and shorter guide rods 49 and50 protrude from the upper and lower end portions, respectively, of theslider 47, and extend parallel to the peripheral wall 11a of the bottomcase 11. The shorter guide rod 50 slidably penetrates a slit 51a of aU-shaped seat 51, which protrudes from that portion of the inner surfaceof the peripheral wall 11a situated below the lower end of the guidehole 46. The longer guide rod 49 slidably penetrates a slit 52a of aU-shaped seat 52, which protrudes from that portion of the inner surfaceof the wall 11a situated above the upper end of the hole 46. Thus, theslider 47 is movable between the two seats 51 and 52. The respectiveopenings of the slits 51a and 52a of the seats 51 and 52 are directed tothe cover 12 (on the front side) so that the slider 47 can be fitted andremoved with ease. A compressed coil spring 53 is wound around the guiderod 49 in a manner such that it is retained between the seat 52 and theupper end portion of the slider 47. The spring 53 urges the slider 47toward the lower end of the bottom case 11.

Formed in the bore of the slider 47 is a projection 54 which canreleasably engage the claw 45 of the slide knob 41. The hook 43 isinserted into the bore of the slider 47 through the guide hole 46 in theperipheral wall 11a, and the claw 45 engages the projection 54. Theposition of the projection 54 is adjusted so that the catch surface 45aof the claw 45 engages the projection 54 when the claw 45 is inserted inthe slider 47 in a manner such that the operating plate 42 is in contactwith the outer surface of the peripheral wall 11a. Thus, the plate 42can be positioned in a predetermined position.

The overall length of the square bore of the slider 47 (width of theslider 47) is adjusted to a dimension such that the distal end portionof the claw 45 can penetrate the bore. When the claw 45 engages theslider 47, its distal end portion projects sideways from the slider.

A vertically elongated hole 55 is formed in that flat portion of thestepped portion 12a of the cover 12 which corresponds in position to thelatch claw 48. When the cover 12 is attached to the bottom case 11, thedistal end portion of the latch claw 48 projects forward from the cover12 through the hole 55.

A rib 56 for stopping the claw 45 protrudes integrally from that portionof the inner surface of the cover 12 which faces the rear face of theclaw 45 projecting sideways from the slider 47. The height of the rib 56is adjusted to a dimension such that the distal end of the rib is insliding contact with (or in close vicinity to) the rear face of the claw45, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the cover 12 is attached to thebottom case 11. The rib 56 continuously extends so as to cover the wholerange of the sliding motion of the slide knob 41. Before the cover 12 isattached to the bottom case 11, the knob 41 engages the slider 47 onlyin an easily releasable manner, that is, the claw 45 is loosely inengagement with the projection 54. When the cover 12 is attached to thecase 11, however, the claw 45 is pressed by the rib 56, as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9, so that the claw 45 is restrained from moving in thedirection to be disengaged from the projection 54. In this manner, theclaw 45 is prevented from slipping out of the slider 47. Thus, the twoparts in- and outside the body 10, that is, the slide knob 41 and theslider 47, are firmly connected by means of the single hook means 43.

Square latch holes 57 are formed individually on the opposite sides ofthe front portion of the upper case 1a of the computer body 1,corresponding in position to the right- and left-hand latch claws 48which project from the cover 12. When the display 2 is closed, each claw48 engages its corresponding latch hole 57, so that the display 2 islocked in the closed position. By sliding the operating plate 42 of eachslide knob 41 against the urging force of the coil spring 53, each latchclaw 48 can be disengaged from its corresponding latch hole 57 to unlockthe display 2.

FIGS. 10 to 14A show the general construction of the body 1 of thepersonal computer.

In this embodiment, the body 1 is constructed so that various devices,circuit boards, etc. are mounted in the upper case 1a which carries thekeyboard 60 thereon.

More specifically, a rectangular opening 4, through which keys of thekeyboard 60 are exposed, is formed in the front portion of the uppersurface of the upper case 1a, and a plurality of openings, through whichvarious terminals are exposed, are formed in the rear portion of theperipheral wall of the upper case, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14A. Thatportion of the upper case 1a which extends along the peripheral edge ofthe opening 4 is bent backward to form a rib 62, which serves to retainthe keyboard 60 set in the opening 4.

The rib 62 carries thereon the edge portion of the keyboard 60, on whicha large number of keys 63 are arranged. The keys 63 are exposed to theoutside through the opening 4. A plurality of claws 62a protrude fromthe rib 62. The keyboard 60 is located in a predetermined position withthese claws 62a in engagement with notches 64 in the peripheral edgeportion of the keyboard. In FIG. 13, numeral 70 denotes a connectingterminal which extends from the keyboard 60. The keyboard 60 has asubstrate 65 in the form of a rectangular flat plate having the notches64. Two seat portions 66 for fixation are formed by cutting and raisingparts of the peripheral edge of the substrate 65. As the key-board 60 isset on the upper case 1a, the seat portions 66 are fitted individuallyon boss portions (not shown) which protrude from the rear face of theupper case 1a.

A thin-walled, conductive mounting plate 67 for shielding is fixed tothe upper case 1a to cover the rear face of the keyboard 60. Having anexternal shape corresponding to the size of the keyboard 60, the plate67 shields the rear face of the keyboard. Fixing holes 68 andpositioning brackets 69 are formed at the peripheral edge portion of theplate 67.

Principal electronic components are mounted on the rear face of themounting plate 67. More specifically, a floppy disk drive 71 is mountedon the left-hand half (FIG. 13) of the rear face of the plate 67. Aboard unit 75 and an L-shaped circuit board 76 are mounted on theright-hand half of the rear face of the plate 67 with an insulatingsheet 77 between the board 76 and the plate 67. The board unit 75includes two circuit boards 72 and 73 which carry thereon variouselectronic components 72a and 73a, as shown in FIG. 12, for example.These circuit boards 72 and 73 are connected to each other by means of aflexible film cable 74, and are arranged in layers, upper and lower.Further, the board 76 is connected to the board 73 by means of aconnector 76a, and is mounted with various electronic components 76b.The connecting terminal 70 of the keyboard 60 is connected to thecircuit board 73. A connecting cable 78a, which is led out from thedisplay 2 on the upper case 1a, is connected to a connector (not shown)which is arranged on the circuit board 73.

Flexible film cables 78 and 79, which are led out from the circuit board72, are connected to a battery/card unit 80. The unit 80 is also mountedin the upper case 1a.

As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the unit 80 has an elongated frame 81, andis removably mounted on a flat portion 82 which is situated between theopening 4 and the rear wall of the upper case 1a. The frame 81 has apair of side walls 83 which are set up on one side, e.g., the left-handside (FIG. 12), of its rear face. The frame 81 and the side walls 83constitute a battery box 86. A pair of side walls 84 are set up on theright-hand side of the rear face of the frame 81. The walls 84, alongwith the frame 81, constitutes a board storing section. Arranged betweenthe side walls 84 is circuit board 85 which carries a drive units anddriver circuits. Numeral 87 denotes a frame for terminal retention. Apair of card storing devices 88, right and left, each having an ejectormechanism (mentioned later), are arranged individually on the oppositesides of the surface (lower surface as in FIG. 12) of the flat portion82 of the frame 81. The unit 80, having the aforesaid construction, ismounted on the flat portion 82 of the upper case 1a in a manner suchthat its side carrying the card storing devices 88 are directed to theinner surface of the upper case 1a, and that the circuit board 85 facesthe opening of the case 1a. When the unit 80 is mounted in the uppercase 1a, various terminals arranged on the terminal holding frame 87 aresituated opposite to the openings 5 of the rear wall of the upper case1a.

The unit 80 is screwed to the inner surface of the upper case 1a, andthe board unit 75 and the circuit board 76 are screwed to the conductivemounting plate 67. By doing this, various built-in devices are mountedwith high density in the upper case 1a so as to cover the entire spacein the case 1a, as shown in FIG. 11.

The lower case 1b is combined with the upper case 1a, having the variousdevices thus mounted therein, so as to close the opening portion of theupper case. More specifically, the lower case 1b is fixed to the uppercase 1a by means of a plurality of screws 89, with the internal devicesbetween them. In this state, the board unit 75 and the circuit board 76,mounted on the rear face of the keyboard 60, are surrounded by theconductive mounting plate 67 and a plating layer (not shown) on theinner surface of the lower case 1b, as shown in FIG. 14A. Thus, the unit75 and the board 76 are shielded by means of the conductive layers. Asthe various boards are arranged on the keyboard 60 with use of themounting plate 67 for shielding the keyboard, deflection of the keyboard60 caused by key operation (due to the thinness and low rigidity of thekeyboard 60) can be restrained by utilizing the rigidity of theshielding plate 67 for reinforcement. Since all the built-in devices aremounted in the same upper case 1a, moreover, the cables connecting theparts can be reduced in length. Since the display 2 is also mounted onthe upper case 1a, the connecting cable 78a for the display 2 can beeasily connected to the circuit boards in the upper case, and the cable78a can be shortened. Thus, the connecting cable 78a can be easily ledabout in the computer body 1, and can be housed in a relatively narrowspace.

As shown in FIG. 14A, a plurality of ribs 90 are formed on the innerperipheral edge portion of the lower case 1b. They serve to support thecircuit boards 72, 73 and 76, contained in the upper case 1a, and thekeyboard 60 from under the same.

As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, legs 91, each in the form of an ellipticprojection, are arranged individually at the four corners of the bearingsurface of the computer body 1, that is, the lower surface of the lowercase 1b. Among these legs, the legs 91 on the right- and left-hand sidesof the front portion of the body 1 are situated close to the oppositeside faces of the body 1, individually, and have their respective endfaces flush with the corresponding side faces. These two legs 91constitute engaging portions 92 for connection, individually havingengaging grooves 92a (only one of which is shown) opening to theircorresponding end faces. With use of these engaging portions 92, thepersonal computer can be positioned with respect to a mounting portionof an expanding apparatus (mentioned later) for expanding the functionof the computer.

The lower case 1b is formed having an opening 95 (see FIGS. 11 and 12)through which a chip (not shown) as an option is incorporated into thecircuit board 72 from outside the body 1. Normally, the opening 95 isclosed by a cover 96 which is fixed to the lower case 1b by means of ascrew 96a.

The electronic components mounted on the circuit boards 72, 73 and 76 inthe body 1 include superheating members which generate superheat.Accordingly, the whole area of the lower case 1b which adjoins thesesuperheating members is heated to high temperature. As shown in FIGS. 10and 14A, therefore, a number of elongated ridges (projections) 1d arebonded to the front portion of the lower surface of the lower case 1b,extending parallel to one another in the crosswise direction of thebody 1. The ridges 1d are formed of a material with a heat transfer ratelower than that of the body 1. Each ridge 1d has a substantiallysemielliptic cross section, about 1 mm wide and 5 mm high. The spacebetween the respective vertexes of each two adjacent ridges 1d isadjusted to about 2 mm. This key space should only be set lest a user'sfingers be caught between the ridges 1d when the user takes hold of thebody 1. The ridges 1d may be formed integrally with the lower case 1bfrom the same material therewith.

With use of the numerous ridges 1d thus arranged on the lower surface ofthe lower case 1b, that is, on that portion of the body 1 which will beheated to high temperature during the operation of the computer, theuser's fingers can touch only the vertexes of the ridges 1d, and cannever directly touch the lower surface of the lower case 1b, even whenthe user touches the lower portion of the lower case as he carries thecomputer. Although the difference in temperature between the ridges 1dand the surface of the lower case 1b is about 1° C., the user willactually feel a temperature difference of 5° C. or thereabout. Also, thearea of contact of the user's fingers with the lower case 1b is muchsmaller than in the case where the lower case is not provided with theridges 1d. If the user touches the underside of the body 1, therefore,he will feel a temperature of only about 40° C. to 45° C. Thus, the usercan be prevented from harboring suspicion attributable to heat from thebody 1, that is, from misguidedly guessing the occurrence of trouble ofor damage to the computer. The ridges 1d functions also as antiskidmeans.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 14A and 14B, the keyboard 60 has a number of keys63 arranged on a circuit board 60a. These keys 63, which are arrangedlengthwise and crosswise, constitute a key array 60b having asubstantially rectangular outline as a whole. All the keys 63 exceptthose ones which constitute the outermost lines of the array 60b areeach in the form of a truncated pyramid. More specifically, each squarekey 63 has a rectangular top face 63a and slanting faces 63b whichextend obliquely from the individual sides of the top face so as tospread out downward. Thus, each key 63 has a trapezoidal profile. Thewidth a of the top face 63a, width b of the bottom face of the key, tiltangle c of the slanting faces 63c with respect to the top face, and thespace d between each two adjacent keys are set at predetermined valuesfor ease of the user's operation.

Those keys 63d which constitute the outermost lines of the key array60b, that is, the right- and left-end lines and the top and bottomlines, have substantially the same shape as the other keys describedabove. In the keys 63d, however, the tilt angle c of a slanting face 63eon the outline of the array 60b is greater (approximately 90° C.) thanthat of other slanting faces 63c. Accordingly, the outward projection ofthe keys 63d on the outermost lines from the key array 60b is small,although the area of contact with the user's finger, i.e., the area ofthe top face 63a, and the space d between the adjacent keys are keptequal to those for the other keys 63. In this case, the width e anddepth f of the key array 60b can be made shorter than in theconventional case by (b-a) without changing the size of the key top faceand the key space.

Thus, the size of the keyboard 60 can be reduced without affecting theease of use at all. Correspondingly, the whole personal computer can bereduced in size. Since the keyboard size constitutes a primary factor todetermine the computer size, in particular, its reduction produces agreat effect.

The following is a description of the pair of card storing devices 88arranged in the unit 80. These devices 88, right and left, have the sameconstruction, and FIGS. 15 to 23 show an arrangement of the right-handdevice 88.

Before explaining the card storing device 88, card-type electroniccomponents to be incorporated into the storing device will be described.

Available card-type electronic components include, for example, a memorycard 97 stored with specific information and an interface card 100 whichfunctions as an interface between the computer and some other externalapparatus.

As shown in FIGS. 15 to 17, the memory card 97 comprises a rectangularcircuit board 152, mounted with a plurality of semiconductor elements150, and a plastic mold frame 153 fitted with the circuit board 152 soas to surround its peripheral edge portion. Rectangular design plates154, which are formed of conductive metal and serve as a shieldingplates are mounted on the mold frame 153 so as to cover the upper andlower surfaces of the circuit board 152. Various designs, such as adesign coating, are put on the surface of each design plate 154. Thememory card 97 is adapted to be inserted into the card storing device 88of the computer in the direction of arrow A. A connector 156 forelectrical connection between the card 97 and the computer is providedat the leading end portion of the card 97 with respect to the cardloading direction. The connector 156 constitutes part of the mold frame153.

An engaging recess 157 is formed at a predetermined region of each oftwo side faces of the mold frame 153 extending in the card loadingdirection A, at the rear end portion with respect to the loadingdirection. Engaging grooves 158 are formed individually on the upper andlower surfaces of the frame 153. Each groove 158 extends along theperipheral edge of the mold frame 153 with a narrow space between them.All the peripheral edge portion of each design plate 154 except itsfront end edge is bent at right angles, thus constituting a retainingportion 159. Those parts of the retaining portion 159 which correspondto the recesses 157 project longer than the other parts, and constituteconductive portions 160 for grounding. Each design plate 154 is formedintegrally by pressing, for example, and each conductive portion 160 isin an exposed ground metal form without any decorative coating.

Each design plate 154, constructed in this manner, is fixed to the moldframe 153 in a manner such that the retaining portion 159 is fitted inthe retaining groove 158, and the conductive portions 160 in theircorresponding recesses 157. Each plate 154 is connected electrically tothe ground of the circuit substrate 152 by means of a grounding spring161 which is fixed to the substrate.

The dimensions of the individual parts of the memory card 97 are inconformity to the standards Type II provided by JEIDA. Morespecifically, the card width is 54.0±0.1 mm, the thickness of theperipheral edge portion (at least 3 mm distant from the edge) of thecard is 3.3 mm, and the thickness of the central portion of the cardincluding the design plates 154 is 5.0 mm at the maximum.

The interface card 100, like the memory card described above, comprisesa circuit board, a mold frame 153 fitted on the periphery of the circuitboard, and design plates 154 for use as shielding plates, fixed to themold frame so as to cover the upper and lower surfaces of the circuitboard, individually, as shown in FIG. 18. A connector for electricalconnection between the card 100 and the computer is provided at theleading end of the mold frame 153. In the case of the interface card100, a contact 99 for connection with a connector 98 of an externalapparatus, e.g., expanding apparatus (not shown), is arranged at thetrailing end with respect to the card loading direction.

Further, a metal piece having a substantially U-shaped section is fixedto each side face of the mold frame 153, at the trailing end portionwith respect to the loading direction of the card 100, thus constitutinga conductive portion 160 for grounding. This metal piece is fixed to theframe 153 in a manner such that it is buried to the depth equivalent toits wall thickness in the frame. The outer surface of the metal piece isflush with the side faces and the upper and lower surfaces of the moldframe 153. The conductive portions 160 and the design plates 154 areconnected individually to the ground of the circuit board 152.

The following is a description of the card storing device 88. As shownin FIGS. 1, 19 and 20, an L-shaped stepped portion 105 is formed in theright-hand corner of the flat portion 82 of the upper case 1a of thecomputer body 1, which is situated between the keyboard 60 and the rearend portion of the case 1a on which the legs 3 of the display 2 arepivotally mounted. The stepped portion 105 is formed by cutting apredetermined length of the corner portion of the upper case 1a alongits ridge-line. A space defined by the stepped portion 105 constitutesan operating opening portion 106 which is externally accessible by afinger tip.

A vertical wall of the stepped portion 105, which is continuous with ahorizontal wall thereof, has an opening, which defines an elongatedinlet slot 107 for the insertion and removal of the memory card 97 orthe interface card 100. The slot 107 communicates with a card storingsection 108 in the computer body 1.

As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the card storing section 108 is defined bythe frame 81, which constitutes the aforementioned unit 80, and the flatportion 82 of the upper case 1a. More specifically, a pair of elongatedwall portions 109 are set up parallel to each other on the upper surfaceof an end portion of the frame 81, so as to be continuous with theopposite crosswise end portions of the inlet slot 107, individually.Each wall portion 109 has a length corresponding to the overall lengthof the card 97 (or interface card 100). A region surrounded by the wallportions 109, the upper surface of the frame 81, and the inside of theflat portion 82 facing the frame 81 constitutes the flat card storingsection 108 which can receive the whole card. The storing section 108extends from a side face of the upper case 1a toward substantially thecrosswise center of the case 1a. When the card 97 (or interface card100) is received, a connector 110, which can be connected to theconnector 156 (see FIG. 15) fixed to the leading end portion of the card97, is fixed to the flat portion of the frame 81 which corresponds inposition to the leading end portion of the card. Thus, when the card 97or 100 is stored in position in the storing section 108, the connector156 of the card 97 or 100 is connected to the connector 110. Theconnector 110 is connected to the board unit 75 by means of a flexiblefilm cable (not shown).

The card storing section 108 is provided with a card ejector mechanism115 of a two-stage drawer type.

The card ejector mechanism 115 comprises a card receiver 116, which isarranged in the card storing section 108 and slidable in the cardloading direction. As shown in FIG. 20, the receiver 116 is atray-shaped structure which is formed by, for example, bending a thinmetal plate along the lines of the wall portions 109 and the uppersurface of the frame 81 between these wall portions. A belt-shapedrecess 126 is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the receiver116, extending in the card loading direction. The receiver 116 canreceive the card 97 or 100 inserted through the inlet slot 107. Theoverall length of the card receiver 116 with respect to the card loadingdirection is a little shorter than that of the card storing section 108.

A pair of L-shaped lugs 117, for use as pressing portions, are cut andraised up individually on the opposite sides of that end of the cardreceiver 116 on the side of the connector 110. When the card 97 or 100is inserted into the receiver 116 through the inlet slot 107, theleading end portion of the card with respect to its loading directionabuts against the lugs 117. Thus, when the card is received, thereceiver 116 is pushed thereby and together therewith into the innerpart of the card storing section 108.

The respective extreme ends of the paired lugs 117 are connected to eachother by means of a flat connecting piece 164. The piece 164 is bentforward with respect to the card loading direction, and extendssubstantially parallel to the bottom wall of the card receiver 116. Whenthe receiver 116 is pushed deep into the storing section 108, theconnecting piece 164 gets onto and then slides on the upper surface ofthe connector 110. The width g of the piece 164 in the card loadingdirection is substantially equal to or a little longer than the strokeof connection between the connector 110 and the connector 156 of thecard, that is, the moved distance of the connector 156 covered duringthe time interval between the contact between the connectors and thecompletion of the connection.

A pair of stopper mechanisms 118 (regulating means) for regulating theadvance and retreat of the card receiver 116 are arranged individuallyon the opposite crosswise sides of the receiver 116.

As shown in FIG. 20, each stopper mechanism 118 includes a projection119, which is formed by raising part of each side wall of the cardreceiver 116 outward, and a notch 120 formed in part of each wallportion 109 of the card storing section 108 and receiving itscorresponding projection 119. The card receiver 116 is slidable betweena first position, where each projection 119 abuts against an end edge120a of its corresponding notch 120 on the side of the connector 110,and a second position, where each projection abuts against an endportion 120b of the notch 120 on the side of the inlet slot 107. The endedge 120a of each notch 120 is positioned so that the whole card in thecard receiver 116 can be housed in the card storing section 108 andconnected to the connector 110 when the receiver 116 is pushed into thefirst position where each projection 119 engages the end edge 120a. Theend edge 120b of each notch 120 is positioned so that the trailing endportion of the card 97 or 100 in the card receiver 116 projects outwardfor a predetermined distance from the operating opening portion 106 whenthe receiver 116 is drawn out to the second position where eachprojection 119 engages the end edge 120b. In this manner, the movementof the card receiver 116 is restricted within a predetermined range.

A conductive metal cover 121 having an L-shaped section is fixed to theframe 81 so as to cover the notch 120 of one of the stopper mechanisms118, e.g., the left-hand stopper mechanism, from the outside. Thus, thecorresponding projection 119 is prevented from slipping out of the notch120, whereby the card receiver 116 is prevented from being disengagedfrom the card storing section 108. The distal end of the projection 119is in sliding contact with the inner surface of the cover 121. The cover121 is fixed to the frame 81 by means of a screw 122 with the aid of amount portion 123 formed on the frame 81. The screw 122 connectselectrically with the respective plating layers of the upper and lowercases 1a and 1b through the mount portion 122, frame 81, etc.

A pair of card conduction portions 124 are formed individually on therespective end portions of the right- and left-hand wall portions of thecard receiver 116 on the side of the inlet slot 107. Each conductionportion 124 is formed by bending part of each wall portion into asubstantially V-shaped inward projection. When the memory card 97 or theinterface card 100 is inserted into a predetermined position in the cardreceiver 116, the conductive portions 160 on the opposite side faces ofthe card come into contact with the respective top portions of theircorresponding card conduction portions 124, so that the receiver 116 andthe card are connected electrically. Thus, when the card 97 or 100 isset in the predetermined position in the receiver 116, it is connectedelectrically to the computer body 1 to be grounded through the receiver.

A drawer piece 125 is provided on that end portion of the bottom wall ofthe card receiver 116 on the side of the inlet slot 107 so as to bedrawable along the card loading direction. As shown in FIG. 20, thepiece 125 is formed of a plastic sheet having a substantially T-shapedexternal configuration. The longitudinally extending portion of thesheet constitutes an operating portion 125a, while a pair oftransversely projecting portions constitute retaining portions 127. Theoperating portion 125a has a slot 130 extending in the card loadingdirection.

The retaining portions 127 of the drawer plate 125 are slidably fittedin a pair of slits 128 (regulating means and connecting means) formedindividually in angle portions of the card receiver 116, which definethe opening-side ridge-lines of the recess 126, individually. The drawerpiece 125 is slidably fixed by means of a guide pin 131, whichpenetrates the slot 130 and is attached to the bottom wall of thereceiver 116. The operating portion 125a is fitted in the recess 126,and extends toward the operating opening portion 106, guided by therecess 126. Thus, the drawer piece 125 is slidable relatively to thecard receiver 116 within the range of the length of the slits 128 or theslot 130. More specifically, the piece 125 is slidable between apushed-in position, where the retaining portions 127 and the guide pin131 engage the respective connector-side end edges of the slits 128 andthe inlet-side end edge of the slot 130, respectively, and a drawn-outposition, where the portions 127 and the pin 131 engage the respectiveinlet-side end edges of the slits 128 and the connector-side end edge ofthe slot 130, respectively.

The slits 128, the slot 130, and the guide pin 131 are positioned sothat the end portion (with respect to the drawing direction) of theoperating portion 125a is situated in the operating opening portion 106when the drawer piece 125 is pushed into the pushed-in position, withthe card receiver 116 in the first position and the connector 156 of thecard connected to the connector 110. Thus, the end portion of theoperating portion 125a is located in a position easily accessible by afinger tip inserted in the opening portion 106.

Further, the slits 128, the slot 130, and the guide pin 131 are arrangedso that the end portion of the operating portion 125a projects longenough from the operating opening portion 106 to enable the user'sfingers to seize it with ease when the drawer piece 125 is drawn out tothe drawn-out position with the card receiver 116 in the first position.When the drawer piece 125 is drawn out to the drawn-out position so thatit is ready for the draw-out of the card 97 or 100, the card receiver116 and the piece 125 are connected to each other.

As shown in FIG. 20, an opening portion 129 (finger catch portion),e.g., rectangular in shape, is formed at that end portion of theoperating portion 125a, which is to be located in the operating openingportion 106, so that a finger tip inserted in the opening portion 106can be hooked to the opening portion 129. By hooking the finger tip inthis manner, the user can draw out the end portion of the operatingportion 125a from the opening portion 106 to the outside of the uppercase 1a or the body 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, each operating opening portion 106 is removablyfitted with a cover 132 having, e.g., an L-shaped section correspondingto the external shape of the stepped portion 105. The cover 132 is usedto close the opening portion 106 so that the card 97 or 100 therein andthe end portion of the drawer piece 125 is unseeable from outside thecomputer after the card is loaded.

In FIG. 20, numeral 133 denotes each of grooves formed individually onthe opposite sides of the front face of the connector 110. These grooves133 receive their corresponding lugs 117 of the card receiver 116 whenthe receiver 116 is moved to the first position. In FIG. 1, moreover,numeral 135 denotes a floppy inlet slot which is formed in a crosswiseside portion of the body 1. A floppy disk can be loaded into a floppydisk drive 71 (see FIGS. 11 and 13) in the body 1 through the slot 135.

In incorporating the memory card 97 into, for example, the right-handcard storing section 108 of the personal computer constructed in thismanner, the cover 132 is first removed from the operating openingportion 106. Then, the card 97 is put into the inlet slot 107, with itsleading end side forward and the trailing end side seized by fingers. Asa result, the card 97 is inserted deep into the card receiver 116 to bereceived thereby.

If the card receiver 116 is situated in the second position on the sideof the inlet slot 107, at this point of time, the leading end of theinserted card 97 abuts against the lugs 117, so that the receiver 116,pushed by the card, moves along with the card toward the first position.

When the card 97 is put into the inlet slot 107, the greater part of itis swallowed by the body 1, leaving the seized trailing end portionoutside the body 1. Thereafter, the trailing end portion of the card 97,projecting outward from the operating opening portion 106, is pressed sothat the whole card 97 is inserted into the card storing section 108through the slot 107. When the card 97 is pushed in to be stopped by thestopper mechanisms 118, it is held, along with the card receiver 116, inthe storing section 108, so that the receiver 116 is situated in thefirst position. At the same time, the connector 156 at the leading endof the card 97 is connected to the connector 110 on the computer side.In this state, the lugs 117 of the card receiver 116 are in the grooves133 of the connector 110, and the connecting piece 164 is on the uppersurface of the connector 110. Further, the paired conductive portions160 of the card 97 are individually in contact with the card conductionportions 124 of the receiver 116. Thus, the card 97 connectselectrically with the body 1 by means of the card receiver 116 and theframe 81, and also by means of the projections 119 of the receiver, thecover 121, and the screw 122. Accordingly, the design plates 154 of thecard 97, which serve as shielding plates, are connected to the groundcircuit of the body 1.

When the end portion of the drawer piece 125 is projecting from the body1 through the operating opening portion 106, it is pushed into thepushed-in position by a finger tip, so that it is located in the openingportion 106.

Thereafter, when the cover 132 is put on the operating opening portion106 to close it, the card 97 is incorporated in the body 1 in a mannersuch that the card 97 and the drawer piece 125 are unseeable from theoutside, that is, in an attractive manner.

FIG. 21 shows the card in the incorporated state. In incorporating theinterface card 100 in place of the memory card 97, the connector 98 ofthe external apparatus must be connected to the card, so that the cover132 should not be put on.

In taking out the card 97 from the body 1, after finishing the use ofthe card incorporated in this manner or in order to replace it withanother card, the cover 132 is first removed from the operating openingportion 106, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 22. Then, a finger tip isinserted into the opening portion 106, and hooked to the edge of theopening portion 129 of the drawer piece 125 in the opening portion 106to pull the piece 125 to the drawn-out position. Thereupon, the endportion of the drawer piece 125 is drawn out from the body 1.

Thus, a finger pull portion 134 is formed by drawing out the end portionof the drawer piece 125 long enough for a nip.

Subsequently, the drawer piece 125 is drawn out from the body 1 in amanner such that the exposed pull portion 134 is seized by fingers. Indoing this, only the piece 125 can be drawn out until the retainingportions 127 of the piece 125 engage their corresponding slits 128, thatis, before the piece 125 reaches the drawn-out position. When theretaining portions 127 abut against the respective ends of the slits128, individually, the drawer piece 125 and the card receiver 116 areconnected to each other, and the receiver 116 then also moves toward theinlet slot 107.

Since the lugs 117 of the card receiver 116 are in contact with theleading end face of the card 97, the card is pushed and disengaged fromthe connector 110 as the receiver 116 moves, as shown in FIG. 23. Whenthe receiver 116 is drawn out to the second position, the trailing endportion of the card 97 is led out from the operating opening portion 106through the inlet slot 107. During this operation, the lugs 117 of thecard receiver 116 is subjected to a force from the card 97 such thatthey are urged to bend in the direction of arrow H in FIG. 20. Sincedisengaging the connector 156 from the connector 110 requires a greatforce, in particular, the lugs 117 are also subjected to a great bendingforce in the direction of arrow H during the disengaging operation. Ifthe lugs 117 are bent in the direction of arrow H, they cannot push theleading end face of the card 97, so that the card cannot be taken outthereafter. In the present embodiment, however, the paired lugs 117 areconnected to each other and reinforced by means of the connecting piece164, which is located on the upper surface of the connector 110.Further, the width g of the piece 164 is longer than the stroke ofconnection between the connectors 156 and 110. Accordingly, theconnecting piece 164 is situated on the upper surface of the connector110 during the time interval between the start of the operation fordisengaging the connector 156 and entire disengagement of the connector156 from the connector 110. If the lugs 117 are urged to bend in thedirection of arrow H, therefore, the connecting piece 164 engages theupper surface of the connector 110, so that the lugs can be preventedfrom being deformed.

When the card 97 is led out, by the above-described operation, to apredetermined position such that the trailing end portion of the card 97can be seized by fingers, the card 97 is ready to be removed.

When the card receiver 116, during the operation for taking out thecard, moves to the second position where the trailing end portion of thecard 97 is led out for the predetermined distance, it is restrained fromfurther moving by the stopper mechanisms 118, lest it slip out of thecard storing section 108.

If the trailing end portion of the card 97, projecting to the right fromthe body 1, is then pulled by fingers, the card 97 can be taken out fromthe card storing section 108.

After the card 97 is removed in this manner, an alternative card 97 or100 is inserted (in the case of replacement), or the end portion of thedrawer piece 125 is pushed so that the card receiver 116 and the piece125 are restored to their respective original positions, and thereafter,the cover 132 is put on the operating opening portion 106 (if the use isto be discontinued).

According to the card ejector mechanism 115, which is constructed sothat the hidden end portion of the drawer piece 125 is drawn out in afirst drawing stage and the end portion of the card 97 in the cardholding section 108 is drawn out and ejected from the body 1 in a seconddrawing stage, the incorporated card 97, along with the card receiver116, is housed in the card storing section 108, and the end portion ofthe drawer piece 125, with respect to the drawing direction, is locatedin the operating opening portion 106. Thus, the card 97 does not projectfrom the body 1 when it is incorporated therein. Accordingly, thepersonal computer can be carried with the card therein withouthindrance.

Since the card ejector mechanism 115 is not linked to any externaloperating component which requires a specific place for installation,moreover, the installation space for the ejector mechanism is restrictedlittle.

Since the paired lugs 117 of the card receiver 116 are connected bymeans of the connecting piece 164, which is slidable on the uppersurface of the connector 110, furthermore, they are improved inmechanical strength, and can be prevented from being deformed. Thus,reliable card ejection can be ensured for a long period of time.

When the memory card 97 or the interface card 100 is loaded into thecard storing section 108, it is connected to the ground circuit of thebody in a low-impedance state through the conductive portions 160 andthe card conduction portions 124. Therefore, the computer and the cardcan be kept at the same ground potential, so that wrong operation of thecard attributable to a potential difference can be restrained. Also, thedesign plates 154 of the card 97 or 100 can be securely connected to theground, and a satisfactory shielding effect against electromagneticradiation can be obtained.

The conductive portions 160 of each card 97 or 100 are providedindividually on the side faces of the card, and their corresponding cardconduction portions 124 on the computer side are arranged so as to facethese side faces. When the card is loaded into or unloaded from the cardstoring section 108, therefore, the card conduction portions 124 cannotslide on the upper and lower surfaces of the card, that is, on thedesign plates 154, so that metallic powder can be prevented from beingproduced by such sliding motion. Thus, there is no possibility ofmetallic powder entering the computer body and causing wrong operationof the computer. Further, the coating on the design plates 154 cannot beremoved by sliding contact with the card conduction portions 124, andthe conductive portions 160 are arranged on the side faces of the card,so that the design plates can be improved in design properties.

In the arrangement for the memory card 97, the conductive portions 160are fitted individually in the recesses in the side faces of the card.When the card 97 is loaded into the card receiver 116, therefore, thecard conduction portions 124 are situated in the recesses, and serve toprevent the card from slipping out of the card receiver. Thus, the card97 can be prevented from being unexpectedly removed from the cardreceiver 116.

As mentioned before, moreover, the conductive portions 160 of each card97 or 100 are provided individually on the side faces of the card, andtheir corresponding card conduction portions 124 on the computer sideare arranged so as to face these side faces. Even though various cardsof different thicknesses are loaded into the card storing section 108,therefore, the conductive portions and the card conduction portionsnever fail to be brought stably into contact with one another within apredetermined error range (e.g., 0.1 mm). Thus, the card can be securelyconnected to the ground circuit of the computer body 1, so that a highlyreliable shielding effect can be obtained.

The paired card storing sections 108 are arranged individually at theopposite end portions of the flat portion 82 which is situated betweenthe keyboard and the rear portion of the computer body 1 on which thelegs 3 of the display 2 are mounted. In the body 1, the region under theflat portion 82 is liable to become a dead space. The space in the body1 can be effectively used, however, by utilizing this region for theformation of the card storing sections 108.

The following is a description of the expanding apparatus for expandingthe function of the personal computer constructed in this manner.

FIG. 24 shows a state immediately before the computer is attached to theexpanding apparatus 215. In this state, the computer, having its display2 closed, is in the form of a flat box as a whole. As shown in FIG. 30,a first plug-in connector 207 having a number of pin holes is providedon the rear face of the computer body 1. A fixing nut 238 having apositioning hole is arranged on each end side of the connector 207. Thefirst connector 207 is connected to a circuit board 73 (see FIG. 12) inthe body 1, and is located in a one-sided position deviated from thecrosswise center of the body 1. When the computer is attached to theexpanding apparatus 215, the first connector 207 is connected to asecond plug-in connector 227 having a number of pins on the side of theapparatus 215, and the computer and the apparatus 215 are connectedelectrically to each other.

As shown in FIG. 24, the expanding apparatus 215 comprises a body case216 in the form of a rectangular box. The case 216 contains an expandingunit 217 for expanding the functions of the computer, including, forexample, a hard disk drive unit, FDD drive unit, circuit board forcommunication for use with a telephone circuit, circuit board forstorage, etc., and a power supply unit (not shown) used to drive theunit 217.

The body case 216 includes a front portion 218a and a rear portion 218b.The top face of the front portion 218a constitutes a flat bearingsurface 219 for carrying the computer thereon. The surface 219 is widerthan the plane configuration of the computer body 1. The rear portion218b projects above the level of the front portion 218a. A verticalconnector setting surface 220 is formed at the boundary between thefront and rear portions 218a and 218b. The surface 220 is continuouswith the rear end of the bearing surface 219. Thus, the surface 219 isopen to the top, front, and both sides of the body case 216.

A pair of guide rails 221a and 221b for sliding the computer back andforth along the bearing surface 219 are mounted individually on theopposite side portions, right and left, of the surface 219. Each of therails 221a and 221b, formed of a plastic material, includes a firstslide guide surface 222, raised above the bearing surface 219 andextending substantially parallel thereto, and a second slide guidesurface 223 perpendicular to the surface 219. The first slide guidesurface 22 is composed of a first portion 222a, situated on the frontend side of the bearing surface 219, and a second portion 222b raisedabove the first portion 222a and extending to the connector settingsurface 220. The first portion 222a of the first guide surface 222guides its corresponding front leg 91 of the computer, while the secondportion 222b guides its corresponding side edge portion of the bottomsurface of the lower case 1b. The second guide surface 223 guides thelower part of its corresponding side face of the lower case 1b. Thus,when the computer is set o the bearing surface 219, it is guided betweenthe respective second slide guide surfaces 223 of the guide rails 221aand 221b.

The connector setting surface 220 is provided with a second connector227, which is connected to the expanding unit 217. The second connector227 has a number of pin terminals to be inserted individually into thepin holes of the first connector 207 and a pair of positioning pins 237for guiding the connectors in connection.

A fixing claw 170 is provided on the front end portion of each of theguide rails 221a and 221b. The claws 170 serve to fix the computer in apredetermined position on the expanding apparatus 215 when the computeris mounted on this predetermined position so that the first connector207 is connected to the second connector 227. As shown in FIGS. 24 and25, each fixing claw 170 is arranged for projection and retraction in anopening 171 in the second slide guide surface 223, and is situated overthe first portion 222a of the first slide guide surface 222. The claws170 can be fitted in the engaging grooves 92a formed in the front legs91 of the computer.

Each fixing claw 170 is substantially in the form of a prism. Both angleportions of the distal end portion of the claw 170 is cut off so thatthe distal end portion is tapered. The proximal end portion of the claw170 projects into the interior of the guide rail 221a or 221b throughthe opening 171. The fixing claw 170 is urged to project from the secondslide guide surface 223 toward the bearing surface 219 by a compressionspring 172, which is arranged between the proximal end of the claw 170and the inner surface of its corresponding side wall of the body case216. A flange 173 is formed around the proximal end portion of the claw170. As the flange 173 engages the inner surface of the guide rail 221aor 221b, the claw 170 is prevented from slipping out of the opening 171,and is held in its projected position shown in FIG. 25. When the fixingclaw 170 is pressed toward the rail 221a against the urging force of thespring 172, it is moved to its retreated position inside the opening171.

Each fixing claw 170 is formed of an electrically conductive material,and connects electrically with the body case 216 by means of thecompression spring 172.

The expanding apparatus 215 comprises a lock mechanism 174 for lockingthe paired fixing claws 170 in their respective projected positions. Asshown in FIGS. 24 to 27, the lock mechanism 174 includes a lock plate175 at the back of the bearing surface 219, a rocking lever 176, a slidelever 177 inside the right-hand side wall of the body case 216, and alock key 178 for operating these members. The lock plate 175 extends soas substantially to cover the overall length of the case 216 in thecrosswise direction. The plate 175 has three slots 180 extending in thelongitudinal direction of the case 216. The slots 180 are penetratedindividually by guide pins 180, which protrude from the inner surface ofthe case 216. Thus, the lock plate 175 is slidable in the longitudinaldirection of the body case 216.

Two opposite end portions of the lock plate 174 are bent upward, andproject individually into the guide rails 221a and 221b, thusindividually forming lock pieces 181 which can engage theircorresponding fixing claws 170.

The middle portion of the rocking lever 176 is rockably supported bymeans of a pivot 176a, which protrudes from the inner surface of thebody case 216. One end of the lever 176 is rockably connected to thelock plate 175 by means of a pivot pin 182a. The other end of the lever176 is rockably connected to one end of the slide lever 177 by means ofa pivot pin 182b.

The slide lever 177 has a pair of slots 177a extending in thelongitudinal direction of the body case 216, and is slidably supportedon the inner surface of the case 216 by means of guide pins 183, whichpenetrate the slots 177a, individually. A projection 184a and an arcuatecam face 184b continuous therewith are formed on the other end portionof the lever 177.

The lock key 178 includes a key cylinder 185 fixed to the right-handside wall of the body case 216, and a keyhole 185a of the cylinder 185is exposed to the right-hand side face of the case 216. The key cylinder185 is located in the vicinity of the other end portion of the slidelever 177. A push arm 186 is fixed on the outer circumferential surfaceof the cylinder 185, and a push pin 187 is attached to the distal endportion of the arm 186. One side of the arm 186 is in contact with theprojection 184a of the slide lever 177, and the pin 187 is in engagementwith the cam face 184b.

According to the expanding apparatus constructed in this manner, eachfixing claw 170 projects over the first slide guide surface 222, and thelock plate 175 is kept in its retreated position shown in FIG. 27, wherethe lock pieces 181 are disengaged from their corresponding fixing claws170, before the computer is fitted to the apparatus 215. In this state,the key cylinder 185 is kept in its release position shown in FIG. 28.When the cylinder 185 is rotated from the release position shown in FIG.28 to its lock position shown in FIG. 29 by means of a key 188 insertedin the keyhole 185a, the projection 184a of the slide lever 177 ispressed by a side face of the push arm 186 so that the lever 177 ismoved toward the rear side of the body case 216. In response to this,the rocking lever 176 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction ofFIG. 27 around the pivot 176a, whereupon the lock plate 175 is movedforward with respect to the body case 216, from the retreated positionto its engaging position. When the plate 175 is in the engagingposition, each lock piece 181 engages its corresponding fixing claw 170,as indicated by two-dot chain line in FIG. 25, thereby locking the claw170 in the projected position.

When the key cylinder 185 is rocked from the lock position to therelease position, the slide lever 177 is moved toward the front side ofthe body case 216 by the push pin 187, which is in engagement with thecam face 184b. As a result, the lock plate 175 is restored to theretreated position, and the fixing claws 170 are unlocked.

The expanding apparatus 215 further comprises an ejector mechanism forejecting the computer in the predetermined position on the bearingsurface 219. As shown in FIG. 24, this ejector mechanism includes anoperating knob 280 slidably arranged adjacent to the key cylinder 185,on the right-hand side wall of the body case 216, and a pair of pushers242a and 242b which can project over the bearing surface 219 from a pairof openings 240a and 240b in the connector setting surface 220. As theknob 280 is slid in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 24 with thecomputer mounted in place, the pushers 242a and 242b push the rear faceof the computer body 1, whereby the first connector 207 of the computerand the second connector 227 of the expanding apparatus 215 aredisconnected from each other. The construction of the ejector mechanismwill be described in detail later.

In attaching the computer to the expanding apparatus 215, the computeris mounted between the guide rails 221a and 221b in a manner such thatthe opposite end portions of the bottom face of the rear portion of thecomputer body 1 are situated individually on the respective secondportions 222b of the first slide guide surfaces 222, and that the frontlegs 91 of the body 1 are situated individually on the respective firstportions 222a of the surfaces 222. In doing this, each fixing claw 170is kept in the projected position where it projects over itscorresponding first portion 222a, as shown in FIG. 31.

When the computer is slid toward the connector setting surface 220 ofthe body case 216, in this state, each fixing claw 170 is pushed intothe retreated position by its corresponding leg 91, as shown in FIG. 32.When the computer is slid further backward, the first connector 207 ofthe computer is connected to the second connector 227 of the expandingapparatus 215. At the same time, the engaging groove 92a of each leg 91reaches a position where it faces its corresponding fixing claw 170.Thereupon, the claw 170 moves again to the projected position, and isfitted in the groove 92a of its corresponding leg 91, as shown in FIGS.33 and 34. Accordingly, the computer is securely connected to theexpanding apparatus 215 as it is positioned. Thereafter, the fixingclaws 170 are locked in their respective projected positions by shiftingthe lock mechanism to the lock position by means of the key 188. Thus,the computer cannot be unexpectedly disconnected from the apparatus 215during the operation, so that data destruction or the like can beprevented. Further, the rear end portion of the computer body 1 cannotbe unexpectedly lifted while the connectors 207 and 227 are connected toeach other, so that the connectors can be securely prevented from beingdamaged.

Furthermore, each fixing claw 170 is formed of an electricallyconductive material, and the inner surface of the engaging groove 92a ofeach leg 91 of the computer body 1 is covered by a conductive film,which connects electrically with the body 1. Accordingly, the computerbody 1 is groundedly connected to the body case 216 of the expandingapparatus 215 by means of the legs 91, fixing claws 170, and thecompression springs 172. Thus, the computer can be prevented from beingadversely affected by electromagnetic waves from the apparatus 215.

The following is a description an expanding apparatus according to asecond embodiment used with a personal computer. As shown in FIG. 35,the expanding apparatus 215 according to the second embodiment differsfrom the foregoing apparatus in the structure of the fixing claws toengage the computer and in the grounding arrangement for electricallyconnecting the computer and the expanding apparatus.

As shown in FIGS. 35 to 37, moreover, the personal computer combinedwith the expanding apparatus 215 is constructed substantially in thesame manner as the foregoing computer. According to the secondembodiment, however, the angle portions between the bottom face andopposite side faces of a computer body 1 are chamfered throughout thelength. This chamfering provides a pair of guide surfaces 212a and 212bindividually on the opposite sides, left and right, of the bottom of thebody 1, declined toward the crosswise center of the body 1. ExtensionsX1 of these guide surfaces 212a cross each other on a center line O1 ofthe computer body 1.

Right- and left-hand front legs 91 of the body 1 are arranged at shortdistances from their corresponding side faces of the body. Each frontleg 91 has no engaging groove, and instead, an engaging groove 263 to befitted with each corresponding fixing claw (mentioned later) of theexpanding apparatus 215 is formed at the front portion of each side faceof the body 1.

The expanding apparatus 215 will now be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 35, the expanding apparatus 215 comprises a body case216 in the form of a rectangular box. The case 216 contains an expansionunit 217 for expanding the functions of the computer, including, forexample, a hard disk drive unit, FDD drive unit, circuit substrate forcommunication for use with a telephone circuit, circuit substrate forstorage, etc., and a power supply unit (not shown) used to drive theunit 217, as shown in FIGS. 41, 46, etc.

The body case 216 includes a front portion 218a and a rear portion 218b.The top face of the front portion 218a constitutes a flat bearingsurface 219 for carrying the computer thereon. The surface 219 is alittle wider than the plane configuration of the computer body 1. Therear portion 218b projects above the level of the front portion 218a. Avertical connector setting surface 220 is formed at the boundary betweenthe front and rear portions 218a and 218b. The surface 220 is continuouswith the rear end of the bearing surface 219. Thus, the surface 219 isopen to the top, front, and both side of the body case 216.

A pair of guide rails 221a and 221b for sliding the computer back andforth along the bearing surface 219 are mounted individually on theopposite side portions, left and right, of the surface 219. Each of therails 221a and 221b, formed of a plastic material, includes a firstslide guide surface 222, adapted to be in sliding contact with eachcorresponding side portion of the bottom face of the computer body 1, asecond slide guide surface 223, adapted to be in sliding contact witheach corresponding side face of the body 1, and a third slide guidesurface 224, adapted to be in sliding contact with each correspondingguide surface 212a or 212b of the body 1. The third slide guide 224 isinclined toward the the crosswise center of the bearing surface 219 withdistance from the second slide guide surface 223. The angle ofinclination of the surface 224 is equal to that of the guide surfaces212a and 212b. As shown in FIG. 38, extensions X2 of the third slideguide surfaces 224 cross each other on a center line O2 which passes thecrosswise center of the bearing surface 219.

Thus, when the computer is set on the bearing surface 219, it is heldbetween the respective second slide guide surfaces 223 of the guiderails 221a and 221b, and the guide surfaces 212a and 212b of the body 1come into their corresponding third slide guide surfaces 224. As this isdone, the center line O2 of the surface 219 is aligned with the centerline O1 of the body 1, whereupon the computer is positioned in thecrosswise direction thereof with respect to the bearing surface 219.

A second connector 227, which is connected to the expansion unit 217, isprovided on the rear portion 218b of the body case 216. As shown in FIG.39, the second connector 227 has a number of pin terminals 228 to beinserted individually into the pin holes of the first connector 207 ofthe computer. As shown in FIG. 41, the connector 227 projects from anaperture 225, which opens on the connector setting surface 220. Thesecond connector 227 is located in a one-sided position on the surface220, which is deviated from the center line O2 of the bearing surface219, and is supported afloat by a frame 229 in the body case 216.

The following is a description of this supporting structure. As shown inFIG. 39, the second connector 227 is screwed to a connector holder 230.The holder 230 is supported on a bracket 231 for movement in thevertical and crosswise directions. The bracket 231 is fixed to the frame229 by means of screws 232, and the connector holder 230 is interposedbetween the bracket 231 and a frame 229. The bracket 231 is formedhaving a notch 233 through which the second connector 227 is exposed tothe outside. Vertically extending slots 234a and 234b are formed in thebracket 231 on the left- and right-hand sides of the notch 233,respectively. A screw 235 is passed through each of the slots 234a and234b. The screw 235 is loosely fitted in each slot with play in thevertical and crosswise directions. The inserted end of each screw 235 isscrewed into the connector holder 230. Thus, the holder 230 is movablerelatively to the bracket 231, for distances corresponding to the playbetween the slots 234a and 234b and their corresponding screws 235, inthe vertical and crosswise directions.

Tension coil springs 236 are stretched individually between therespective opposite side portions and top central portions of thebracket 231 and the connector holder 230. The springs 236 pull theholder 230 from side to side and upward, and the holder 230 iselastically held in a position such that the respective tensile forcesof the springs 236 are balanced.

Positioning pins 237 protrude individually from the opposite sideportions of the second connector 227. Before the pin holes of the firstconnector 207 and the pin terminals 228 of the second connector 227 areconnected, the positioning pins 237 get individually into aligning holes238a (see FIG. 36) of fixing nuts, which are situated individually onthe opposite sides of the front face of the first connector 207.Thereupon, the second connector 227, supported afloat, is moved, and thepin holes and the pin terminals 228 can be accurately aligned with oneanother.

More specifically, the computer placed on the bearing surface 219 isslid toward the connector setting surface 220, and is pushed into apredetermined position such that the rear face of the computer body 1touches or approaches the surface 220. Thereupon, the positioning pins237 first get into their corresponding holes 238a, thereby aligning thefirst and second connectors 207 and 227 with each other. Then, the firstand second connectors 207 and 227 are fitted with each other, wherebythe computer and the expanding apparatus 215 are connected electricallywith each other.

The body case 216 contains a fixing mechanism for maintaining theconnection of the computer connected in the aforesaid manner, agrounding mechanism for groundedly connecting the computer to theexpanding apparatus 215, and an ejector mechanism for ejecting thecomputer from the apparatus 215. These mechanisms are arranged forinterlocked operation.

The ejector mechanism will be described first. A pair of openingportions 240a and 240b are formed at the angle portion between theconnector setting surface 220 and the bearing surface 219 of the bodycase 216. The opening portions 240a and 240b open into the rear portion218b of the case 216, on the left- and right-hand sides of the secondconnector 227, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 40 to 43, a pair of pushlevers 241a and 241b are arranged in the rear portion 218b. The levers241a and 241b are used to push out the computer body 1 from thepredetermined position on the bearing surface 219. Plastic pushers 242aand 242b, which cover the respective one-side ends of the levers 241aand 241b, face the opening portions 240a and 240b, respectively. Therespective other ends of the push levers 241a and 241b constitutepivotal portions 243a and 243b, respectively, which extend under thebearing surface 219, inside the body case 216. Each of the pivotalportions 243a and 243b is rotatably supported on a supporting surface244 inside the bearing surface 219 by means of a pivot 245.

The pivotal portions 243a and 243b are continuous with interlocking arms247a and 247b, respectively, which extend toward each other. Therespective distal ends of the arms 247a and 247b, which overlap eachother on the center line O2 of the bearing surface 219, are rotatablyconnected to each other by means of a pivot 248. The pivotal portions243a and 243b are formed integrally with connecting pieces 250a and250b, respectively, which extend opposite to their correspondinginterlocking arms 247a and 247b. One-side ends of a pair of rocking arms251a and 251b are pivotally supported on the pieces 250a and 250b,respectively, by means of pivots 252.

The rocking arms 251a and 251b extend in the longitudinal directionalong the guide rails 221a and 221b, at the left- and right-hand sideportions of the bearing surface 219, respectively. The intermediateportion of each of the arms 251a and 251b is rotatably supported on thesupporting surface 244 by means of a pivot shaft 253. Guide holes 254aand 254b are formed in the respective other end portions of the arms251a and 251b, which extend close to the front end portion of thesupporting surface 244. The guide holes 254a and 254b are each in theform of a slot extending along a circular arc around the pivot shaft253. Guide shafts 255a and 255b are slidably fitted in the guide holes254a and 254b, respectively. The shafts 255a and 255b protrude downwardfrom the supporting surface 244. The rocking angle of the rocking arms251a and 251b is determined as the shafts 255a and 255b are fitted intheir corresponding holes 254a and 254b.

As shown in FIGS. 46 and 47, upwardly bent pieces 258a and 258b areformed on the other ends of the rocking arms 251a and 251b,respectively. Apertures 259 are bored individually through the oppositeside portions of the bearing surface 219, corresponding in position tothese bent pieces 258a and 258b, and the guide rails 221a and 221b areformed individually having compartments 260, which communicateindividually with the apertures 259. Thus, the bent pieces 258a and 258bare introduced into their corresponding compartments 260 through theapertures 259. Fixing claws 261a and 261b are formed on the respectivedistal ends of the pieces 258a and 258b, respectively, so as to extendtoward each other. The claws 261a and 261b individually face accessholes 262 which open on the respective second slide guide surfaces 223of their corresponding guide rails 221a and 221b. When the rocking arms251a and 251b are rocked, the claws 261a and 261b project over the guidesurfaces 223 through the holes 262, individually. As shown in FIGS. 35and 47, moreover, the engaging grooves 263, which can be releasablyengaged with their corresponding fixing claws 261a and 261b, are formedindividually at the respective front portions of the side faces of thecomputer body 1 which are in sliding contact with the second slide guidesurfaces 223, individually. Thus, the arms 251a and 251b and the claws261a and 261b constitute the fixing mechanism.

The fixing claws 261a and 261b are linked to the push levers 241a and241b by means of the rocking arms 251a and 251b and the connectingpieces 250a and 250b, respectively. In the present embodiment, the arms251a and 251b and the pieces 250a and 250b constitute an interlockingmechanism for interlocking the push levers 241a and 241b of the ejectormechanism and the fixing claws 261a and 261b of the fixing mechanism.

As shown in FIGS. 40 to 43, an operating arm 265 is formed integrallywith the interlocking arm 247a of the one push lever 241a. The arm 265extends on the opposite side of the pivot position of the lever 241awith respect to the center line O2 of the bearing surface 219. Thedistal end of the arm 265 is rockably connected to an operating plate267, which constitutes an operating mechanism, by means of a pivot 266.The plate 267, which serves to rotate the push levers 241a and 241b andthe rocking arms 251a and 251, includes a base portion 268, arrangedalong the supporting surface 244, and a pair of slide portions 269a and269b, left and right, bent downward from the left- and right-hand sideportions of the base portion 268. A longitudinally extending guide hole270 is formed in the central portion of the base portion. The hole 270is penetrated by a pivot 271 which protrudes from the supporting surface244. A push member 272, which is in sliding contact with the undersideof the peripheral edge portion of the opening of the guide hole 270, isarranged at the lower end of the pivot 271. The slide portions 269a and269b of the operating plate 267 are arranged inside and in closevicinity left- and right-hand side walls 216a and 216b of the body case216, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 47 to 51, each of the slideportions 269a and 269b has longitudinally extending slide holes 273a or273b at two positions spaced in the longitudinal direction. Guiderollers 274 are slidably fitted in the slide holes 273a of the one slideportion 269a, individually. These rollers 274 are supported on the oneside wall 216a of the body case 216. Also, a roller holder 276 isattached to the other side wall 216b of the case 216. The holder 276 islocated close to the other slide portion 269 of the operating plate 267,and guide rollers 277, which are slidably fitted in the slide holes273b, are supported individually on the front and rear end portions ofthe holder 276. Thus, the operating plate 267 is supported forlongitudinal sliding motion with the guide rollers 274 and 277 in theslide holes 273a and 273b.

An operating knob 280 is mounted on the other slide portion 269b of theoperating plate 267. The knob 280 is led out of the body case 216through a relief 281 in the roller holder 276 and a longitudinallyextending through hole 282 in the side wall 216b of the body case 216.The knob 280 can be externally nipped between finger tips.

By moving the operating knob 280 back and forth, the operating plate 267can be reciprocated between an engaged position at the front portion ofthe bearing surface 219, as shown in FIGS. 42 and 43, and a disengagedposition at the rear portion of the surface 219, as shown in FIGS. 44and 45. The reciprocation of the plate 267 is converted into a rockingmotion by means of the operating arm 265, and the rocking motion istransmitted to the interlocking arms 247a and 247b. When the operatingplate 267 is slid to the engaged position, the push levers 241a and 241brock so that the arms 247a and 247b are arranged in a straight line, andthe respective pushers 242a and 242b of the push levers withdraw intothe opening portions 240a and 240b without projecting over the connectorsetting surface 220. As the levers 241a and 241b rock in this manner,moreover, the rocking arms 251a an 251b rock toward each other aroundtheir corresponding pivots 253, and the fixing claws 261a and 261bproject individually from the respective access holes 262 of the guiderails 221a and 221b.

When the operating plate 267 is slid to the disengaged position, asshown in FIGS. 44 and 45, on the other hand, the one interlocking arm247a rotates counterclockwise around its corresponding pivot 245 throughthe medium of the operating arm 265, so that the pivot 248, whichconnects the interlocking arms 247a and 247b, is pushed out backward. Asa result, the other interlocking arm 247b rotates clockwise around itscorresponding pivot 245. As this is done, the pushers 242a and 242b ofthe push levers 241a and 241b project forward from the connector settingsurface 220 through the opening portions 240a and 240b, respectively. Asthe levers 241a and 241b rotate, moreover, the rocking arms 251a and251b rock away from each other around their corresponding pivots 253,and the fixing claws 261a and 261b are pulled into the compartments 260in the guide rails 221a and 221b, respectively, through theircorresponding apertures 259.

Hollows 283a and 283b for weight reduction are formed in the baseportion 268 of the operating plate 267, on the left and right sides ofthe guide hole 270, respectively. A pair of return springs 284, tensioncoil springs, are arranged in the hollows 283a and 283b and stretchedbetween the supporting surface 244 and the operating plate 267,respectively. These springs 284 continually urge the operating plate 267toward the disengaged position.

Since the rocking arms 251a and 251b are located in the narrow gapbetween the base portion 268 of the operating plate 267 and thesupporting surface 244 of the body case 216, as shown in FIGS. 47 and48, reliefs 285a and 285b for preventing interference with the pivots253 and the guide shafts 255a and 255b are formed individually at theleft- and right-hand side portions of the base portion 268,respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 35 and 54, four terminal mounting holes 290 are formedin the bearing surface 219 of the body case 216. The holes 290 arefitted individually with four grounding terminal units 291, whichconstitute the grounding mechanism. Since all these terminal units 291are constructed in the same manner, only one unit will now be describedin behalf of them.

As shown in FIGS. 52 to 58, the grounding terminal unit 291 comprises aplastic terminal holder 292. The holder 292 includes a base portion 293,which has a terminal hole 293a opening on the bearing surface 219, and afitting wall portion 294 protruding from the base portion 293 and fittedin the terminal mounting hole 290. Flange portions 295a and 295b, whichare bent toward the interior of the body case 216, are formed on thefront- and rear-end opening edge portions of the hole 290, respectively.The terminal holder 292 is fixed on the bearing surface 219 in a mannersuch that claw portion 296 at the distal end portion of the fitting wallportion 294 are hooked to the respective distal ends of the flangeportions 295a and 295b. The holder 292 is situated above the baseportion 268 of the operating plate 267. Without regard to the positionof the plate 267, engaged or disengaged, moreover, the holder 292 islocated ahead of the base portion 268 and inside its correspondinghollow 283a or 283b.

A plastic lift plate 298 is held in position inside the fitting wallportion 294 for vertical sliding motion. A terminal piece 299 issupported on the upper surface of the lift plate 298. The piece 299 isan elastically deformable structure formed by bending a thin metalsheet. Contact portions 400 of the piece 299 face the terminal hole293a. Four belt-shaped spring portions 401 are formed integrally withthe opposite side portions, left and right, of the terminal piece 299.Each spring portion 401 extends toward each corresponding side portionof the terminal holder 292, and is bent so that it gets nearer to theinside of the bearing surface 219, that is, the supporting surface 244,with distance from its proximal end. The distal end of each springportion 401 is in contact with the surface 244. Thus, the lift plate 298and the terminal piece 299 are continually pressed and urged downward bythe spring portions 401, and the contact portions 400 of the piece 299are depressed below the open end of the terminal hole 293a.

Wall portions 405 protrude downward from the lower surface of the liftplate 298. The lower end edge portion of each wall portion constitutes acam portion 406 which ascends backward. Push tongues 407 integrallyprotrude forward from the front edge of the base portion 268 of theoperating plate 267 and the respective rear edge portions of the hollows283a and 283b. The cam portion 406 of each wall portion 405 is situatedon the path of transfer of each corresponding tongue 407. These pushtongues 407 switch their corresponding grounding terminal units 291between operating and nonoperating states in association with themovement of the operating plate 267. When the plate 267 is in thedisengaged position, each push tongue 407 is kept apart from the camportion 406 of the wall portion 405, as shown in FIG. 55. As theoperating plate 267 is slid from the disengaged position to the engagedposition, the tongue 407 abuts against the cam portion 406. When thetongue 407 abuts against the cam portion 406, the lift plate 298 ispushed up, and the contact portions 400 of the terminal piece 299 areexposed through the terminal hole 293a and situated above the bearingsurface 219. Thus, the contact portions 400 are brought into contactwith their corresponding one of grounding pieces 410, which are providedon the bottom face of the computer body 1.

The length of projection of the push tongue 407 for moving the terminalpiece 299 up and down, from the operating plate 267, is adjusted so thatthe contact portions 400 of the terminal piece 299 project from theterminal hole 293a after the fixing claws 261a and 261b are hooked totheir corresponding engaging grooves 263 of the computer body 1, withthe pushers 242a and 242b confined to the opening portions 240a and240b, respectively.

The above-mentioned arrangement of the ejector mechanism, apart from thegrounding mechanism and the fixing mechanism, is also applied to theexpanding apparatus 215 according to the first embodiment.

The following is a description of steps of procedure for attaching toand detaching the computer from the expanding apparatus 215 with theaforementioned construction.

First, the operating knob 280 is pushed in backward to slide theoperating plate 267 to the disengaged position. Thereupon, the pivot248, which connects the paired interlocking arms 247a and 247b, ispushed out backward, so that the push levers 241a and 241b rotate inopposite directions around their corresponding pivots 245. As a result,the pushers 242a and 242b of the levers project from the connectorsetting surface 220 through the opening portions 240a and 240b,respectively. As the push levers 241a and 241b rotate in this manner,moreover, the rocking arms 251a and 251b rock away from each otheraround their corresponding pivots 253, so that the fixing claws 261awithdraw into the compartments 260 in the guide rails 221a and 221b,respectively.

Then, the computer to be connected to the expanding apparatus 215 isplaced on the bearing surface 219 so that it is situated between theguide rails 221a and 221b. In this case, the slanting guide surfaces212a and 212b are formed individually on the opposite sides of thebottom portion of the computer body 1, and also, the third slide guidesurfaces 224, inclined so as to extend along their corresponding guidesurfaces 212a and 212b, are formed individually on the guide rails. Whenthe computer body 1 is situated between the guide rails 221a and 221b,therefore, the guide surfaces 212a and 212b come into contact with theircorresponding third slide guide surfaces 224. Thus, the computer ispositioned with respect to the bearing surface 219 in a manner such thatthe center line O2 of the surface 219 is aligned with the center line O1of the computer.

In this state, the computer is pushed along the guide rails 212a and212b toward the connector setting surface 220. As this is done, the rearface of the computer body 1 approaches the surface 220, so that thepositioning pins 237 of the second connector 227 get into theircorresponding holes 238a of the first connector 207. Since the secondconnector 227 is supported afloat on the connector setting surface 220,it is moved corresponding to the position of the first connector 207under the guidance of the pins 237. Even if the two connectors 207 and227 are somewhat dislocated, therefore, this dislocation is absorbed,and these connectors can be accurately connected to each other.

When the connection of the connectors 207 and 227 is completed, thecomputer is pushed into the predetermined position where the rear faceof the body 1 approaches or touches the connector setting surface 220.Thereupon, the rear face of the body 1 comes into contact with thepushers 242a and 242b of the push levers 241a and 241b, so that thepushers 242a and 242b are pushed into the opening portions 240a and240b, respectively. Accordingly, the levers 241a and 241b are rocked toa position such that their corresponding interlocking arms 247a and 247bare arranged substantially in a straight line.

When the push levers 241a and 241b are rocked so that the interlockingarms 247a and 247b are arranged in a straight line, the operating plate267, along with the operating knob 280, slides forward to reach theengaged position. As the arms 247a and 247b rock in this manner,moreover, the rocking arms 251a and 251b rock toward each other aroundtheir corresponding pivots 253. As a result, the fixing claws 261a and261b, having so far been confined to the respective compartments 260 ofthe guide rails 221a and 221b, project form the second slide guidesurfaces 223 through their corresponding access holes 262, and arehooked to the engaging grooves 263 in the left- and right-hand sidefaces of the computer body 1, respectively. Thus, the front end portionof the computer can be prevented from being unexpectedly raised.

When the operating plate 267 is slid to the engaged position, each pushtongue 407 extending from the plate 267 advances to the region under itscorresponding grounding terminal unit 291. Then, the tongue 407 abutsagainst the cam portions 406 of the lift plate 298 supporting itscorresponding terminal piece 299, thereby pushing up the plate 298against the urging force of the spring portions 401. Thus, after thefixing claws 261a and 261b are hooked to the computer body 1, thecontact portions 400 of each terminal piece 299 project from eachcorresponding terminal hole 293a above the bearing surface 219, and comeinto contact with their corresponding grounding piece 410 on the bottomface of the body 1. Thereupon, the electrical and mechanical connectionbetween the computer and the expanding apparatus 215 is completed.

In detaching the computer from the expanding apparatus 215, on the otherhand, the operating knob 280 is pushed in backward to slide theoperating plate 267 from the engaged position toward the disengagedposition. Thereupon, the push tongues 407 of the plate 267 aredisengaged individually from the cam portions 406 of their correspondinggrounding terminal units 291, so that the terminal pieces 299 withdrawinto their corresponding terminal holes 293a. Consequently, the contactportions 400 of the terminal pieces 299 are disengaged from theircorresponding grounding pieces 410 on the bottom face of the computerbody 1.

When the operating plate 267 is slid to the disengaged position afterthe terminal pieces 299 are confined to the terminal holes 293a, thepush levers 241a and 241b rock in the opposite directions around theircorresponding pivots 245, and their pushers 242a and 242b projectforward from the connector setting surface 220 through the openingportions 240a and 240b, respectively, as mentioned before. As thepushers 242a and 242b then push the rear face of the computer body 1,the computer is forced out forward or away from the connector settingsurface 220, whereupon the first and second connectors 207 and 227 aredisconnected from each other.

As the push levers 241a and 241b rock in the aforesaid manner, moreover,the fixing claws 261a and 261b withdraw into the compartments 260 in theguide rails 221a and 221b, respectively, so that they are disengagedfrom the engaging grooves 263 of the computer body 1. Thus, when thecomputer is pushed out away from the connector setting surface 220 inthe aforesaid manner, both side portions of the front end of thecomputer are freed.

When the operating knob 280 is slid to the disengaged position, in theexpanding apparatus constructed in this manner, the computer is forcedout away from the connector setting surface 220, whereupon the first andsecond connectors 207 and 227 are disconnected from each other. In afirst stage of removing the computer from the predetermined position onthe bearing surface 219, therefore, the operator need not manually pullthe computer toward him. Correspondingly, the operating efficiency ofthe system is improved, and the computer can be detached with ease.

Since the first and second connectors 207 and 227 are disengaged fromeach other by sliding the operating knob 280, moreover, the frontportion of the computer cannot be unexpectedly lifted up during thisoperation, so that no unreasonable forces can be applied to theconnectors. When the computer is set in the predetermined position onthe bearing surface 219, furthermore, the fixing claws 261a and 261b arehooked individually to the engaging grooves 263 in their correspondingfront-end side faces of the computer, so that the front end portion ofthe computer can be prevented from being unexpectedly raised. When thecomputer is set in the predetermined position, therefore, its front endportion cannot be raised by mistake, so that the connectors 207 and 227can be protected against unreasonable forces.

Thus, the connectors 207 and 227 can be prevented from being damaged,and the second connector 227 on the side of the expanding apparatus 215need not be designed for vertical oscillation. Accordingly, theclearance between the second connector 227 and the aperture 225 for itsexposure can be narrowed, and high-frequency noises from the expansionunit 217 can be prevented from leaking out.

The push levers 241a and 241b for pushing out the computer from thebearing surface 219 are arranged on the left- and right-hand sides ofthe second connector 227, respectively, and individually press twospots, left and right, on the rear face of the computer body 1. Thus,even though the second connector 227 is located in the one-sidedposition deviated from the center line O2 of the bearing surface 219, asin the present embodiment, the computer can be pushed out straightforward without a skew. Accordingly, the first and second connectors 207and 227 can be securely disengaged from each other without beingwrenched, and the computer can be smoothly pushed out with a smallforce.

According to the arranged described above, moreover, when the operatingplate 267 slides to the engaged position after the computer is pushedinto the predetermined position on the bearing surface 219, the terminalpieces 299 project from their corresponding terminal holes 293a in thesurface 219, and their contact portions 400 come into contact with theircorresponding grounding pieces 410 on the bottom face of the computerbody 1. Thus, the computer can be grounded the moment it finishes beingconnected to the expanding apparatus 215. Accordingly, there is no needof any special grounding operation, so that handling the system iseasier.

In sliding the computer, placed on the bearing surface 219, along theguide rails 221a and 221b, or in pushing it out from the predeterminedposition on the surface 219 by means of the pushers 242a and 242b, thereis not possibility of the terminal pieces 299 being caught by or rubbingon the bottom face of the computer body 1, since the pieces 299 areconfined to their corresponding terminal holes 293a during thisoperation. Naturally, therefore, the computer can be slid without anyhindrance, and besides, deformation of the terminal pieces 299 anddamaging the bottom face of the body 1 can be prevented.

FIGS. 59 through 63 show an alternative support assembly 324 forsupporting the second connector 227 of the function expanding apparatus215. While the second connector 227 is supported to be movable inlateral and horizontal directions in the above described secondembodiment, the connector 227 can additionally be displacedlongitudinally when it is used with this alternative support assembly.

More specifically, the second connector 227 is a plug in type connectorhaving a large number of terminal pins and can be connected with thefirst connector 207 of a personal computer of the type underconsideration. The second connector 227 projects forward through anopening portion 225 formed in the connector setting surface 220 of thebody case 216 of the expanding apparatus. The connector 227 is locatedto face the first connector of the computer placed on the bearingsurface 219 of the body case 216. The second connector 227 is connectedto the expansion unit 217 disposed in the body case 216 by means of asignal cable 325.

As shown in FIGS. 59 through 61, the connector 227 is held by a box-likeconnector holder 328 which is provided with a pair of positioning pins237 arranged at the respective lateral sides of the connector 227. Thesepositioning pins 237 are retractable in the X direction as shown inFIGS. 59, 62 and 63, in which the computer is movable on the body case216 of the expanding apparatus 215, and can be driven into therespective aligning holes 238a of the anchoring nuts 238 for engagement.Each of the positioning pins 327 is provided at its front end with aaligning member 330 which engages the corresponding anchoring nut 238.

The connector holder 328 is securely fixed to a support bracket 332 bymeans of a pair of screws 331. The support bracket 332 is realized bycranking a flat metal plate and comprises a horizontally extendingfitting section 332a and first and second vertically extending sections332b and 332c. The fitting section 332a is provided with a pair oftapped holes 333 and a pair of positioning holes 334 disposed betweenthe tapped holes 333, one of the positioning holes 334 beinghorizontally elongated along the front edge of the support bracket 332.The screws 331 are screwed into the respective tapped holes 331 viathrough holes 335 formed in the connector holder 328. A pair ofpositioning projections 336 are formed on the upper surface of theconnector holder 328 and fitted in the respective positioning holes 334of the fitting section 332a.

The first vertically extending section 332b is provided with a pair ofguide holes 338 arranged on a same level and separated from each otherby a given distance, whereas the second vertically extending section332c is provided with a single guide hole 338.

The support assembly 324 also comprises a support frame 340 whichconstitutes part of the body case 216 of the function expandingapparatus 215. The frame 340 includes a horizontally extending bottomwall 340a and a front wall 340b arranged opposite to the support bracket332. The front wall 340b is cranked to conform to the shape of thecorresponding area of the support bracket 332 and includes a horizontalsection 342a and first and second vertical sections 342b, 342c whichextend respectively upward and downward from the horizontal section342a. The first vertical section 342b is provided with a pair of tappedholes 344, whereas the second vertical section is provided with a singletapped hole 344.

A leaf spring 346 as urging means is arranged between the supportbracket 332 and the front wall 340b of the support frame 340. The leafspring 346 is also cranked to have a shape conforming to that of thesupport bracket 332 and comprises a horizontal section 346a and firstand second vertical sections 346b, 346c extending respectively upwardand downward from the horizontal section 346a. The first verticalsection 346b is provided with a pair of through bores 347, whereas thesecond vertical section 346c is provided with a single through bore 347.The first vertical section 346b is provided with a pair of forwardlyprojecting push claws 350a bent toward the support bracket 332, whereasthe second vertical section 346c is provided with a pair of push claws350b bent toward the support bracket.

When set in position, the guide holes 338 of the support bracket 332 arerespectively aligned with the corresponding through bores 347 of theleaf spring 346 and the corresponding tapped holes 344 of the supportframe 340. Each of the guide holes 338 is designed to receive a guidesleeve 352, which is fixed to the support frame by means of a screw 354screwed into the corresponding tapped hole 344 of the support frame 340by way of the corresponding through bore 347 of the leaf spring 346 andthe guide sleeve.

As clearly shown in FIG. 62, each guide sleeve 352 comprises a flange352a having an outer diameter greater than the diameter of thecorresponding guide hole 338 of the support bracket 332 and a tubularportion 352b extending from the flange to reach the support frame 340through the guide hole 338. The tubular portion 352b has afrusto-conical profile tapered toward the front end that reaches thesupport from 340 with its rear end having an outer diametersubstantially equal to that of the guide hole 338 and its front endhaving an outer diameter smaller than that of the guide hole 338.

Thus, the support bracket 332 is attached to the support frame 340 bymeans of three guide sleeves 352, the former is movable in the axialdirection of the guide sleeve or the X-direction in FIGS. 59, 62 and 63.The leaf spring 346 is securely held between the support bracket 332 andthe support frame 340 by means of the guide sleeves 352. The first pushclaws 350a of the leaf spring 346 abuts against the first verticalsection 332b of the support bracket 332, whereas the second push claws350b abut against the second vertical section 332c of the supportbracket.

Thus, the support bracket 332 is pushed toward the connector settingsurface 220 of the body case 216 and therefore pressed against theflanges 352a of the guide sleeves 352. Consequently, the support bracket332 is blocked by the flanges 352a and prevented from moving any furthertoward the connector setting surface 220 and is held in a stand byposition as illustrated in FIG. 62.

The connector holder 328, support bracket 332, support frame 340, andguide sleeves 352 constitute supporting means in the present invention.

The second vertical sections 332c, 346c and 342c of the support bracket332, the leaf spring 346 and the front wall 340b of the support frame340 are provided with respective openings, through which the signalcable 327 of the second connector 227 extends.

When a personal computer of the type under consideration is fitted tothe function expanding apparatus 215 provided with a second connector227 which is supported by the support assembly 324 having theabove-mentioned configuration, the support bracket 332 of the supportassembly 324 is held in the stand-by position in the initial stages offitting operation. In this stand-by position, the large diameter end ofthe frusto-conical tubular portion 352b of each of the guide sleeves 352is located within the corresponding guide hole 338. Since the largediameter is substantially equal to the bore of the guide hole 338, theguide sleeve 352 is fitted in the guide hold 338 without gaps. Thus, thesupport bracket 332 and connector 227 are held in position withoutallowing them any vertical and/or lateral movement.

In this state, as the computer is pushed toward the connector settingsurface 220 along the guide rails 221a, 221b of the body case 216, therear end of the computer body 1 approaches the connector setting surface220, and the positioning pins 237 of the second connector 227 go intothe respective aligning holes 238a of the anchor nuts 238 of thecomputer and the aligning members 330 are engaged with the respectiveanchor nuts.

As the computer body 1 is pushed further to its proper position, thefirst connector 207 comes to be engaged with the second connector 227 ofthe expanding apparatus 215 to establish an electric connection betweenthe computer and the expanding apparatus, as shown in FIG. 63. Underthis connected condition, the support bracket 332 is pushed toward thesupport frame 340 along with the second connector 227 and the connector227 is located at a pushed-in position illustrated in FIG. 63. Then, thecomputer is locked by the above-mentioned lock mechanism arranged in thebody case 216 so that it may not lifted from the bearing surface 219 ofthe body case 216.

When the second connector 227 is placed in the pushed-in position asillustrated in FIG. 63, the small diameter end of the tubular portion352b of each guide sleeve 352 is found within the corresponding guidehole 338. Since the diameter of the small diameter end of the guidesleeve 352 is smaller than that of the guide hole 338, there exists agap between them so that the support bracket 332 and the secondconnector 227 may be displaced vertically and laterally relative to thesupport frame 340, or in directions perpendicular to the X-direction inwhich the first connector 207 is moved for engagement or disengagement.Thus, even when the computer is pushed vertically and/or laterally byexternal force after it is connected to the function expanding apparatus215, the second connector 227 and the support bracket 332 may move withthe first connector 207 to eliminate any stress that may be generated inthe first and second connectors, thereby preventing damage of thesecomponents.

Further, in the pushed-in position, the support bracket 332 can bedisplaced in the X-direction wherein the first connector is moved forengagement or disengagement. Thus, even when the computer is displacedin the X direction, particularly in a direction wherein the firstconnector can be disconnected from the second connector, the supportbracket 332 and the second connector 227 move with the first connector207 to nullify any relative displacement of the computer and theexpanding apparatus 215. As a result, the first connector 207 would notunintentionally come off the second connector 227 and the connectionbetween the computer and the expanding apparatus 215 is secured.

With the function expanding apparatus 215 which comprises the supportassembly 324 having the above described configuration, as the supportbracket 332 supporting the second connector 227 is movable in theX-direction in which the first connector moves for engagement ordisengagement, the connection between the two connectors is secured evenwhen external force is applied to the computer trying to pull the firstconnector out of the second connector. Thus, the connection between thecomputer and the expanding apparatus 215 would not be unintentionallydisrupted to destroy any of the data being processed by the computer orthe software systems stored in the computer.

Even when the computer is displaced vertically and/or laterally relativeto the expanding apparatus 215, the support bracket 332 moves with thecomputer in the same direction to prevent the first and secondconnectors 207, 227 from being damaged.

It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the abovedescribed embodiments and various changes and modifications can be madewithin the scope of the invention.

For instance, the present invention has been described with regard topersonal computers, it may be applied any other portable electronicapparatus such as word processors.

In the first embodiment of the invention, the projections 1d arranged atthe bottom of the lower case 1b of the computer body 1 may be extendinglongitudinally as illustrated in FIG. 64. Alternatively, they may berealized in a zig-zag form as illustrated in FIG. 65. Stillalternatively, the projections 1d may be so many cubes as illustrated inFIGS. 66 and 67.

When one or more electronic components serving as superheating membersare arranged in the rear section in the computer body 1, the projections1d are advantageously arranged in the corresponding rear section of thebottom wall as illustrated in FIG. 68. With such an arrangement, theprojections 1d may serve as legs of the body 1 so that the body may beslightly inclined forward to allow easy access to the keyboard when itis placed on a desk top.

A conductive portion 160 of a card like electronic device according tothe invention such as an interface card may extend to the upper andlower surfaces of the card so that it may be directly connected to thedesign plates 154 serving as shield plates, as shown in FIG. 69.Alternatively, such a conductive portion 160 may be arranged only on alateral surface of the card without extending to the upper and lowersurfaces as illustrated in FIG. 70. Further, as shown in FIG. 71, aconductive portion 160 may be formed by a conductive layer 160a formedon the outer surface of the rear end portion of the card 100.

The support bracket, the leaf spring, the support frame and othercomponents of the support assembly 324 having a configuration asdescribed above may be modified in terms of shape. The number of theguide sleeves and that of the lugs may be changed if appropriate.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details, and representative devices shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A card-shaped electronic device for use with anelectronic apparatus, said device comprising:a rectangular flat box-likemain body to be inserted into and taken out of the electronic apparatusin a given insertion direction, the main body having a pair of lateralsides extending in the insertion direction and a recess formed on alateral side of the main body; and a pair of shield plates fixed to themain body and to cover the upper and lower surfaces of the main body,each of the shield plates being formed of a metal and including a bentportion which is fitted in the recess and constitutes a conductiveportion.
 2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said mainbody comprises a substantially rectangular circuit board mounted withsemiconductors and a rectangular mold frame fitted to the periphery ofthe circuit board to form the lateral sides of the main body, saidconductive portion being disposed on the mold frame.
 3. An electronicdevice according to claim 2, which further comprises a connector adaptedto be connected to the electronic apparatus, the connector being fixedto a front end of the mold frame with respect to the insertiondirection.
 4. An electronic device according to claim 3, which furthercomprises a second connector to which an external device is to beconnected, the second connector being fixed to a rear end of the moldframe with respect to the insertion direction.
 5. A card-shapedelectronic device for use with an electronic apparatus having aninsertion opening, said device comprising:a rectangular flat box-likemain body to be inserted into and taken out of the electronic apparatusin a given insertion direction through the insertion opening, the mainbody having a circuit board mounted with semiconductors, and arectangular mold frame fitted to the periphery of the circuit board, themold frame having upper and lower surfaces, a pair of lateral sidesextending in the insertion direction, a front end and a rear end withrespect to the insertion direction, and engaging grooves formed on theupper and lower surfaces and extending along peripheral edges of themold frame; a pair of shield plates fixed to the mold frame to cover theupper and lower surfaces of the main body, each of the shield plateshaving peripheral edge portions which are bent to constitute retainingportions, the retaining portions being fitted in the engaging grooves toposition the shield plates at predetermined positions on the mold frame,respectively; means electrically connecting the shield plates to aground of the circuit board: and a conductive portion fixed to a lateralside of the mold frame and electrically connected to the shield plates,for electrically connecting the shield plates with the electronicapparatus when the main body is loaded in the electronic apparatus.
 6. Acard-shaped electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the engaginggrooves extend along the lateral sides and the rear end of the moldframe, respectively.
 7. A card-shaped electronic device according toclaim 6, which further comprises a connector fixed to the front end ofthe mold frame, and wherein each of the shield plates has a rectangularshape similar to the main body, and the peripheral edge portions of theshield plate except its front end edge are bent to constitute theretaining portions.
 8. A card-shaped electronic device according toclaim 5, wherein a part of the retaining portions constitutes saidconductive portion.
 9. A card-shaped electronic device for use with anelectronic apparatus, said device comprising:a rectangular flat box-likemain body to be inserted into and taken out of the electronic apparatusin a given insertion direction, the main body having a pair of lateralsides extending in the insertion direction and upper and lower surfaces;and a pair of shield plates fixed to the main body to cover the upperand lower surfaces of the main body, each of the shield plates beingformed of a metal and including a bent portion which is fitted on alateral side of the main body and constitutes a conductive portion. 10.A card-shaped electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the mainbody has a rectangular mold frame fitted to the periphery of the circuitboard, the mold frame having engaging grooves extending along peripheraledges of the mold frame,each of the shield plates has peripheral edgeportions which are bent to constitute retaining portions, the retainingportions being fitted in the engaging grooves to position the shieldplates at predetermined positions on the mold frame, respectively.
 11. Acard-shaped electronic device according to claim 10, wherein one of theretaining portions includes the bent portion.
 12. A card-shapedelectronic device for use with an electronic apparatus, said devicecomprising:a rectangular flat box-like main body to be inserted into andtaken out of the electronic apparatus in a given insertion direction,the main body having a pair of lateral sides extending in the insertiondirection, an engaging portion formed on a lateral side of the mainbody, and upper and lower surfaces; a printed circuit board mounted onthe main body; a pair of shield plates fixed to the upper and lowersurfaces of the main body to cover the printed circuit board, each ofthe shield plates being formed of a metal and including a bent portionwhich is fitted in the engaging portion and constitutes a conductiveportion; and means for electrically connecting the shield plates to aground of the printed circuit board.
 13. A card-shaped electronic deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein the main body has a rectangular moldframe fitted to the periphery of the circuit board, the mold framehaving engaging grooves extending along peripheral edges of the moldframe,each of the shield plates has peripheral edge portions which arebent to constitute retaining portions, the retaining portions beingfitted in the engaging grooves to position the shield plates atpredetermined positions on the mold frame, respectively.
 14. Acard-shaped electronic device according to claim 13, wherein one of theretaining portions includes the bent portion.
 15. A card-shapedelectronic device for use with an electronic apparatus, said devicecomprising:a rectangular flat box-like main body to be inserted into andtaken out of the electronic apparatus in a given insertion direction,the main body having a pair of lateral sides extending in the insertiondirection; a printed circuit board mounted on the main body; and firstand second shield plates fixed to the main body to cover the printedcircuit board, each of the first and second shield plates being formedof a metal and including a bent portion which is fitted in a lateralside of the main body, the bent portion of the first shield platecooperating with the bent portion of the second shield plate toconstitute a conductive portion.
 16. A card-shaped electronic deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein the main body has a rectangular moldframe fitted to the periphery of the circuit board, the mold framehaving engaging grooves extending along peripheral edges of the moldframe,each of the shield plates has peripheral edge portions which arebent to constitute retaining portions, the retaining portions beingfitted in the engaging grooves to position the shield plates atpredetermined positions on the mold frame, respectively.
 17. Acard-shaped electronic device according to claim 16, wherein one of theretaining portions includes the bent portion.
 18. A card-shapedelectronic device for use with an electronic apparatus, said devicecomprising:a rectangular flat box-like main body to be inserted into andtaken out of the electronic apparatus in a given insertion direction,the main body having a pair of lateral sides extending in the insertiondirection; a printed circuit board mounted on the main body and having aground; a pair of shield plates fixed to the main body to cover theprinted circuit board, each of the shield plates being of a metal, andat least one of the shield plates including a pair of bent portionswhich are fitted in the lateral sides of the main body and constituteconductive portions; and means for electrically connecting the shieldplates to the ground of the printed circuit board.
 19. A card-shapedelectronic device according to claim 18, wherein the main body has arectangular mold frame fitted to the periphery of the circuit board, themold frame having engaging grooves extending along peripheral edges ofthe mold frames,each of the shield plates has a peripheral edge portionswhich are bent to constitute retaining portions, the retaining portionsbeing fitted in the engaging grooves to position the shield plates atpredetermined positions on the mold frame, respectively.
 20. Acard-shaped electronic device according to claim 19, wherein one of theretaining portions includes the bent portion.